MUMBAI November 4: Film actress and Rajya Sabha MP Shabana Azmi today castigated the state government's policy on slum demolitions and accused it of reneging on promises made in its election manifesto.

Azmi, in her capacity as joint convenor of Nivara Hakk Suraksha Samiti (NHSS), was addressing a joint press meet of non-governmental groups to announce an action programme against the state's policy of slum demolitions.

A huge morcha has been scheduled on November 13, 1997 to Mantralaya.

``Demolitions do not make slums disappear into thin air. In its quest to beautify the city, if only cosmetically, the government is casting a blind eye to the plight of slum dwellers. Is Mumbai city separate from its slums?'' she asked.

NHSS joint convenor P K Das felt that the ``ill-conceived'' policies of the Sena government were caught in a web of contradictions. ``Now they are even denying that they spoke of housing such a huge population. "Even the builders-developers lobby has backed out as it not feasible for business,'' he said.

Terming the recent demolitions in the Borivli National Park as one of the largest acts of violence by the state goverment, Das pointed out that the demolitions contravened a recent Bombay High Court ruling that demolitions and evictions cannot be carried out until an alternative site is made available. He suggested that the goverment reframe its slum redevelopment keeping in mind the human factor.

Rashtriya Jagriti Manch president G R Khairnar also went on the offensive against Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray. ``Is the government out to build 10 lakh houses or to demolish 10 lakh slums? Thackeray should remember his origins and how he acquired a Rs 10-crore bungalow by looting people,'' he said.

Youth for Voluntary Action representative Navtej termed the cut-off date for demolitions and evictions, namely January 1, 1995, as a farce. ``Most of the slum dwellers at Babrekar Nagar in Kandivli, where nearly 8,000-10,000 slums were razed, were legal residents. A fact-finding team led by Justice Krishna Iyer reported that about 50 per cent of the residents' names were on the voting list,'' she said.

The Maharashtra Minorities Front representative Mohammad Azam alleged that the government had allowed illegal construction on 50 acres of land belonging to INS Hamla at Malad, thus encouraging spying activities.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.