Karnataka HC Takes Suo Moto Case On Burning Down Of Shanties Of Migrant Workers In Bengaluru

A division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Oka and Justice S Vishwajith Shetty directed the registrar to make the State government and Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, as party respondents to the petition and posted the matter for further hearing on June 11.

 A division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Oka and Justice S Vishwajith Shetty directed the registrar to make the State government and Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, as party respondents to the petition and posted the matter for further hearing on June 11.

The letter addressed to the Chief Justice Abhay Oka, on May 29, relies on reports published in the Times of India and other newspapers which reported about the incident. It says "The newspaper reports indicate the brazen action by unscrupulous and rowdy elements by taking law into their own hands and deliberately setting fire to the shanties/huts in the slum only with a view to ensure that voiceless and poor migrant labourers/workers are dispossessed from the land and rendered shelterless."

Further it reads that "The newspaper reports indicate that police have remained mute spectators and have not come to the aid of the migrant labourers by citing some proceedings pending before the office of the deputy commissioner."

Urging the court to send a strong signal to the rowdy elements that a society governed by Rule of law would not tolerate such brazen and illegal actions. The letter states "This court has been dealing with the suo-motu public interest litigation pertaining to the hardships and sufferings being faced by migrant labourers. This issue be treated as a suo-motu public interest litigation and monitor an appropriate investigation into the matter by ensuring the guilty are brought to book and not left to escape the clutches of law. It is also sought that directions be issued to the state and its authorities to provide requisite shetler, food and other facilities to the unfortunate poor migrant labourers.

As per news reports, around 600 migrants from Kalaburagi have been living in Kacharakanahalli area (Sunday Bazaar area) for the past 20 years. It is said that before the lockdown, the residents had gone back to their villages. With the easing of the lockdown, when they returned, they found their places were gutted completely.