in India, hundreds of families from the capital evicted to clear the way before the next G20 summit

Residents thrown out. The scene takes place in New Delhi, the capital. These locals have lived there for generations, but the authorities have begun a major operation to demolish residences and businesses in view of the next G20. India will chair this gathering of the 20 greatest powers on September 9 and 10.

Sanjay Arya stands, arms dangling, in front of the two-story concrete building that housed his apartment and restaurant. The bulldozers have just gutted it. “We have lived here for three generations, explains this expropriated Indian. Overnight, we’re homeless with my family of ten.”

“If the government kicks us out, at least give us a place to sleep! We’ll end up in the slums.”

Sanjay Arya, an expropriated Indian

at franceinfo

The development agency of Delhi, directed by the federal government, ensures that these lands of this district of Mehrauli belong to him. Already, dozens of buildings have been demolished, over more than a square kilometer, in order to create a park on the sidelines of G20 events. However, some residents have their title deeds in good and due form. Ashok Kumar Jain pulls out a kind of aged parchment from a trunk. The title dates from 1967. “There are the official stamps. That’s all we have and the government is going to take it away from us.”

Buildings built illegally under the background of corruption

Hundreds of families have already been evicted, like that of Sanjeev Kumar, who empties his shop before it is destroyed. “This store was registered in 1957, explains the trader. We pay our property taxes. So if it was illegal, they should first punish the officials who registered these buildings, and then we’ll leave.”

About half of the buildings in the Delhi region were built illegally, thanks to the corruption of the authorities. Residents of Mehrauli appealed to the judiciary, which suspended some demolitions until next Thursday.