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Tension as Mamata protests eviction

By Our Special Correspondent

The Trinamool Congress president, Mamata Banerjee, speaking to railway officials while sitting on a protest dharna in Kolkata on Saturday.— Photo: Sushanta Patronobish

KOLKATA MAY 5. Violence flared up today in Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee's south Kolkata constituency over eviction of illegal settlers along the railway tracks. Police later put off the operation as it could create a law and order situation.

As police marched towards the railway tracks in Dhakuria and Lake Gardens to launch the eviction drive this morning, the agitated residents backed by Trinamool supporters attacked them and set ablaze a few of the hundreds of shanties along the tracks and exploded bombs. Considered a moral support to the shanty-dwellers, Ms. Banerjee has been camping in the area since Friday night.

The Railway Police and the Kolkata City Police had jointly embarked on the eviction drive as per the directives of the Kolkata High Court. The court order had said the railway property along the tracks in the stretches between Dhakuria and Lake Gardens should be cleared by April 30.

Tension ran high Ms. Banerjee announced that she would not allow the authorities to evict the dwellers who had been living along the tracks for years.

Slum-dwellers march to protest their planned eviction from their houses on both sides of the railway track in Kolkata on Saturday. — AFP

Ms. Banerjee, a former Railway Minister, argued that no eviction drive should take place without preparing a rehabilitation package. She has even challenged the High Court order.

Traffic was dislocated in various parts of Kolkata as Ms. Banerjee's supporters put up road blocks protesting the eviction drive. A huge police force was positioned in Lake Gardens but that could not stop the Trinamool supporters from engaging in violent activities. Police burst teargas shells and resorted to a lathicharge to disperse the mob.

After six hours of tension, the residents were relieved when the Railway Police decided to call off the operation.

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