Goons of builders' lobby in Mumbai beat up Suresh Banjan - an activist who had been using legal processes and RTI to expose corruption in the builder groups as well as their nexus with policy makers.

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Slum activist-Suresh Banjan, resident of Indira Nagar slum was yesterday attacked and beaten up by the goons of the builders, whose illegalities and frauds he had been exposing since past few months. Suresh, while he was going to his office, after dropping his 6 year old child at her school was hit on his head from behind, after which he fell on the road unconscious. Later he was brought to the Sion hospital by the local police. The police officials at Sion Police Station had to be pressed hard and fought with for 4 hours to register a FIR against the culprits.

Suresh Banjan, as an activist with Ghar Bachao Ghar Banao Andolan has been extensively working for the betterment of the slum dwellers and has been exposing the frauds of the builder lobby. Last month only, the Metropolitan Magistrate acting out on a complaint filed by him and his associates had ordered the Antop Hill Police Station to file a FIR against the corrupt Committee members of the Co-operative Housing Society who, hand in gloves had committed forgery and fraud in the name of slum dwellers. Similarly, acting out on his complaint, with information availed under Right to information Act; the Maharashtra State Pollution Control Board had issued a Stop Work Notice to the Builder for carrying out construction in violation of the Environmental Impact Assessment Notification. All this, had definitely irritated the Builders and his agents and since, they were not able to stop him from taking the fight on the legal turf ventured into such deplorable tactics. Lying in the Sion hospital, he along with his wife, Abhaya; resolved to fight against the real estate mafia and the officials that are part of it.

Attacks on activists or harassment by the police officials by putting false cases have been the long followed tactics by the real estate mafia. In the past few months, many of the activists, like Sumit Wajale, Abha Tandel, Jamila Bi have been harassed by the goons and their supportive police, when they have been at the fore front on exposing the real estate mafia.  15 slum activists from Mandala have been undergoing trial under false case of attempt to murder while, their houses were brutally bull dozed by the Govt of Maharashtra in the year 2006.

The transformation of Mumbai into a global financial hub and a world class city is taking a heavy toll over the civil and democratic rights of the citizens, especially the poor and the democratic institutions from Executive to Judiciary have failed miserably in protecting and safeguarding the same.

Simpreet Singh           Sadanand Rajbhar        Adv. Shakeel Ahmed                Mangesh Sonawane

* (Please write a letter of protest to Shri Ashok Chavan-CM, Govt of Maharashtra & Shri. D Sivanandan-Commissioner of Police, Mumbai; demanding free and fair investigation in the matter and arrest of culprits responsible for the attack on Suresh Banjan)

ashokchavanmind@rediffmail.com,     chiefminister@maharashtra.gov.in,

cpmumbai@mumbai-police.com,         jcplo@mumbai-police.com