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Computer allots houses in Ahmedabad, Muslims & Hindus say ‘unsafe’
- Tanvir A Siddiqui
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It was a random draw of lots for houses to resettle some 8,000 families but in deeply polarised Gujarat, this computer-generated allotment has had Hindus and Muslims writing to authorities, each community saying they don’t wish to live in an area dominated by the other and, therefore, ‘communally unsafe’. Hindus and Muslims are calling for reallotment of houses in areas where they say they will be secure.
But the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), which went in for a random draw to relocate evacuees of the Sabarmati River Front project under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), doesn’t want to get involved—the AMC says Hindu and Muslim allottees may exchange the allotted homes among themselves if they feel insecure.
- Ahmedabad
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The new locations are among the areas which witnessed violence during the 2002 riots. The computer allotted all houses without looking up religions, mixing Hindus and Muslims.
The Muslim evacuees say they want to move to the Muslim-dominated Vatva area while the Hindus want to move to Hindu-held Vadaj. Both sides have approached the AMC top brass, seeking fresh allotment. Petitions have also been sent to the chief minister, seeking his intervention.
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