By Tarushi Aswani / The Wire
Mathura: Situated merely a few hundred metres away from the Krishna Janmasthan Temple in Uttar Pradesh’s Mathura is Nai Basti, a Muslim-dominated vicinity. And it now lies in ruins.
On August 9 and 14, locals say that the administration along with the police undertook large-scale demolitions, pushing at least 500 people to homelessness.
This demolition drive that destroyed 137 homes was orchestrated by the railway authorities, Mathura police and administration with an aim to clear alleged ‘encroachments’ near the temple complex and upgrade the 12 km railway track between Mathura and Vrindavan from metre gauge to broad gauge.
On August 16, the Supreme Court had temporarily halted this demolition drive, maintaining status quo for 10 days. However, on August 28, while disposing of the plea of those against the demolitions, the court directed the petitioner appearing for the victims to pursue relief through the civil court.
Amid demolitions and despair
Najma Begum is combing her hair, looking at the rubble that the state has reduced her home of five to. Begum and her family have been living in the basti for five decades now. “Everything that my brother earned is now under the bricks that once were a home to us,” said Begum, rather helplessly.
“We understand that Muslims are being attacked by the government, this is the reality,” added Begum, whose brother is an e-rickshaw driver.
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