Struggle for shelter; DYFI sets Apr 25 deadline

Ullal, March 14: Over seven hundred homeless and shelter less poor citizens on Monday laid siege to Ullal Town Municipal Council (UTMC) under the banner of Democratic Youth Federation of India to exert pressure on the district administration and State Government to allow them to lead a life with dignity by granting them a place to dwell and restoring House Rent Control Act.

Addressing the gathering, DYFI District President Muneer Katipalla warned that district administration and elected representatives of the region will be responsible if the frustrated protesters take law into their hands and express their frustration through violent means in the coming days.

“The shelter less and homeless citizens of Ullal waited for several years patiently submitting applications to the district administration believing that it will fulfil their demands. But, now they have realised that neither the state government nor the district administration will take any action to restore the rights of poor citizens and hence they have woken up for an unending agitation against the rulers” Katipalla said.

“This time we blocked the UTMC and the protest will be worsened if the administration continues to show its negligence towards the rights of the people, who are unable to cope up with ever rising house rents in the area,” he said, warning that “We will not allow any politician or concerned authorities to wander in the streets if our demands are not fulfilled.”

Setting a deadline before district administration and government Mr Katipalla warned that if the demands of the protesters are not met before April 25, all the shelter less and homeless people will take shelter in the office of Deputy Commissioner. “They will cook food and sleep there” he added.

Raitha Sangha leader Yadava Shetty addressing protesters said that due to the advent of multinational companies and under the pretext of Special Economic Zone, the number of shelter less and houseless people is increasing in the district with every passing day. “The District Administration, the State Government and the Central Government are solely responsible for this growing number of shelter less people and hence it is their joint responsibility to address the woes of these people” he said.

Earlier protesters took out a march from Abbakka Circle shouting slogans against the district administration, state government and local elected representatives. Krishnappa Salyan, Mahabala, Jeevan Raj Kuthar, Vani Kondana, Vilasini Thokkottu, Padmavathi Shetty, Jayanth Naik, Jayaram Kuthar and Rohidas were among those present.