MP Vasava writes to CM Rupani against ‘angrez’ IAS officer’s move

“I received a frantic call from a tribal family from Kevadia in the morning of Tuesday stating that the SSNNL had sent bull dozers without even serving any warning to evict shop owners on the road to Statue of Unity,” Vasava said, speaking to The Indian Express. “Although it is not my constituency (Kevadia colony falls under Chhota Udepur whose MP is BJP’s Geeta Rathwa), I rushed from my residence in Rajpipla. By the time I reached, they had already razed the shops. It was an insensitive act.” The Bharuch MP said, “I know that Modiji himself wouldn’t approve of this autocratic behaviour. Rupaniji and Modiji have already said that tribals have to be given employment and treated with utmost sensitivity in such matters. I have written to the chief minister to take action and ensure that these tribals are not left without an income.”

Vasava said he dashed the letter to Rupani from Kevadia itself. I have told them that these are not encroachers who have just turned up overnight to be thrown out,” he said. “These are families that have been selling food and cold drinks to tourists for over five years. Some of them have been there since the time of the construction of the Narmada dam and when Jaypee group was working here,” he explained.

“To send bulldozers and just crush their shops is not the way,” Vasava said. “Unfortunately, some officials are so blinded by power, sitting in AC offices, that they don’t understand the plight of tribals. If there is a need to shift them it should be done in a decent way by giving them an alternate source of livelihood.”