Riot-survivors at camps seek change in residential address: Arunav Sinha, timesofindia LUCKNOW: Shunted out from their homes in Muzaffarnagar and Shamli, the riots survivors at relief camps have started nursing a feeling that they are a second-grade citizens, and fear that may not be able to cast their vote in the Lok Sabha elections scheduled next year. But, in order to ensure that their vote is not wasted in the general elections, the relief camp residents are now seeking change in their residential addresses, and would soon be conveying this to the Election Commission of India, so that all the formalities could be completed before the deadline for revision of electoral rolls. Narrating the plight of the survivors, Haji Sajid, a caretaker at one of the relief camps, told TOI, The question of going back to their houses does not arise for the residents of the relief camp, as firstly, they do not want to relive the trauma they underwent, and secondly, they fear that their participation in the voting process may be hindered with. Hence, most of the residents of relief camp are now seeking change in their residential addresses, so that the voting booths could be spotted and located in the vicinity of the relief camps. He added that they would be formally conveying this to the district election officer, so that the appropriate action can be taken at a relevant level. The attitude of the state government towards the riot victims is absolutely step-motherly. It is least bothered about those languishing at the relief camps. Sample this: There is provision of only 250 litres of milk for 500 families. Apart from this, the relief camp inhabitants are forced to sell their clothes to manage transportation cost to the district headquarters of Muzaffarnagar and Shamli, Haji Sajid said, and added that the riot victims deserve better treatment. Reacting to the demand of the survivors at the relief camp, an official of the Muzaffarnagar district administration said, As per laid down electoral laws, in case the new residence of the applicant is in the same constituency then he/she must fill Form 8A and submit to the ERO (SDM) or the AERO of the area of the new residence. The last date to submit the names is November 25. On January 6, 2014, the final publication of the voters roll will be done, and it will be updated continuously, till the announcement of the elections. Endorsing the view aired by Sajid, Rihai Manch volunteer Rajeev Yadav said, The biggest problem for the relief camp residents is that the state government is not recognising them as riot victims. Citing a report submitted by a group of ministers, Yadav said, On page 3 of the report, it is categorically mentioned that movable properties of 382 persons have been evaluated and examined in their presence. The report also mentions that immovable properties of 104 persons too have been evaluated and examined in their presence. This proves that 486 (382+104) riot victims were detected in whose presence, the extent of damages incurred by them was evaluated. Yadav added that the main question is that if according to the government claims 23,427 persons have returned to their homes in Muzaffarnagar, 1,073 in Shamli and 1,656 in Baghpat, then what is ailing the evaluation of the property of these riot victims. According to conservative estimates, the number of riot victims residing in the relief camps in Muzaffarnagar is about 24,855. Similarly, the total number of riot victims living in relief camps in Shamli and Baghpat districts is 8,468 and 673 respectively. timesofindia.indiatimes/city/lucknow/Riot-survivors-at-camps-seek-change-in-residential-address/articleshow/26014270.cms
Posted on: Mon, 25 Nov 2013 05:22:10 +0000
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