00:00Essentially, the High Court of Gujarat, while dealing with petition of 18 citizens, majority
00:08of them are women, have refused to grant interim relief against demolition on the ground that
00:16these petitioners are apparently on the water body.
00:20And therefore, the judgment against demolition passed by Honorable Supreme Court of India
00:26by a bench headed by Honorable Justice Gawai will not be applicable to them, one.
00:32And two, that they do not have any permission to put up construction on a government land
00:38which is otherwise a water body.
00:40And therefore, the court is not inclined to grant any interim protection against the demolition
00:47and a permission to the petitioner to stay there in the vicinity of the lake.
00:53As far as the rehabilitation and resettlement is concerned, the court has given direction
00:58that if an application is made with all the necessary details to substantiate that they
01:04have been staying much prior to 2010 and for a long period of time and they are part of
01:11the slum, then the competent authority shall consider their case and will provide an alternative
01:18accommodation to them.
01:20So these are the two issues that they have dealt with.
01:23Much has been said about security of the state in the context of Pahlgaon.
01:27Much is said that this Chandola Lake area is a hub of illegal activities.
01:33We have categorically stated that against these 18 petitioners there is not a single FIR.
01:40There is no process against them to declare them illegal citizens.
01:45There is no allegation against them.
01:47Therefore, to say now suddenly to brandize a particular segment of the society residing
01:56in the vicinity of Chandola Lake that these are Bangladeshis, they are indulging into illegal
02:01activities, that illegal activity is a threat to the law and order.
02:05It is a threat to the security of the state.
02:07The court has very bluntly said the court will not go into the aspect of intelligence, security
02:16of the state, illegal activities and so and so forth.
02:19The court is only confined to one issue whether you should be permitted to stay there and demolition
02:27should be stayed or not at the moment and two whether you are entitled to alternative
02:32accommodation or not.
02:34These are the two issues on which the court has passed an interim order.
02:38The final hearing will take place after the petitioners submit their rejoinder because state
02:46did not grant or give a reply well in time.
02:49Of course, we moved the petition at night at 12 and Honorable Chief Justice of Gujarat High
02:54Court was pleased to grant us a hearing on a holiday in an emergency manner and we are very
03:03much obliged to the audience that is granted by the court and the intervention by the court.
03:09We have not been granted interim protection that is the discretion of the court but with
03:14regard to rehabilitation and resettlement we are grateful to the court.
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