On 28th February 2024, Wakeel Hassan, Uttarakhand Tunnel rescue hero once again made headlines when his house was razed by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA).  The demolition of Hassan’s house was the most recent in the spate of evictions across the country. There have been questions over why the government disproportionately targets working-class and minority community people such as Wakeel Hassan.

Here is an extended cut of an interview with Dr. Ghazala Jamil from an episode of the Suno India Show where Suno India’s Menaka Rao reported on the aftermath of the April 2022 Jahangirpuri riot followed by a demolition drive. Ghazala is an Assistant Professor at the Centre for the Study of Law and Governance,  Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.

In this episode, hosted by Suno India’s Sneha Richhariya, Ghazala explains what makes an illegal structure in a city and what makes some illegal structures more illegal than others.

References:

Uttarakhand tunnel rescue hero's home demolished in Delhi; Declines DDA's temporary accommodation offer

MP demolition drive: Authorities face charges of doing away with due processMCD to beautify city, remove encroachment from February 6 ahead of G20 summit

Mehrauli demolition: Survey DDA relied on was found incomplete by HC panel last year

Olga Tellis & Ors vs Bombay Municipal Corporation & Ors. Etc on 10 July, 1985

THE PUBLIC PREMISES (EVICTION OF UNAUTHORISED OCCUPANTS) ACT, 1971

Thousands Traumatised In New Delhi: As Law Is Ignored, Homes & Lives Are Torn Apart For G20 Summit