New Delhi: A new report has shed light on the distressing increase in forced evictions and home demolitions across India, disproportionately affecting marginalized communities under the administration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The findings underscore a significant surge in such incidents over the last two years, with Muslims among the most impacted.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the report from the New Delhi-based Housing and Land Rights Network (HLRN), titled “Forced Evictions in India: 2022 and 2023,” documents that over 150,000 homes were demolished, displacing around 740,000 people during the period. The year 2023 alone witnessed an alarming escalation, with 515,752 individuals displaced and 107,449 homes destroyed, marking a drastic increase from the previous year’s figures.
The report further highlights the severity of the situation in Delhi, which experienced the highest number of forced evictions recorded in any Indian location, with approximately 280,000 people evicted in 2023. This city alone accounted for 78 incidents of forced eviction between 2022 and 2023.
HLRN’s analysis reveals that nearly one-third of the displaced individuals belong to historically marginalized groups, including Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes, pointing to a disproportionate impact on these communities.
In response to these findings, HLRN has called for an immediate cessation of all evictions until adequate procedures and alternative housing arrangements are in place. The organization stresses the importance of adhering to legal standards and urges the prohibition of demolitions that target vulnerable populations as a punitive measure. Moreover, HLRN advocates for comprehensive government action to rectify these human rights violations through the implementation of fair and humane policies.
The stark increase in demolitions and displacements highlights the urgent need for systemic changes to protect the rights and livelihoods of India’s most vulnerable populations.