Lucknow: Accusing Chief Minister Mayawati of
planning to construct another park in the state capital, the
Samajwadi Party today charged that a demolition drive was on
in Pipraghat area for the purpose which would render nearly
2000 people homeless.
"Some 250 houses were pulled down by bulldozers in
Pipraghat area along the railway line by the authorities and
we are told that it was done to make space for another park,"
senior SP leader and Opposition leader in state Legislative
Council Ahmed Hasan told reporters here.
However, the state government denied the charges saying
the exercise was aimed to evict encroachers.
"It is to remove illegal occupants of the area," official
sources said.
Hasan claimed that majority of the houses demolished were
occupied by members of a particular community for around 150
years and that police resorted to lathicharge to chase away
its occupants.
He demanded immediate rehabilitation of those "rendered
homeless", besides a compensation of Rs five lakh to each of
them.
PTI
