<p>Bengaluru: Hundreds of displaced families from Kogilu and activists of various civil society groups staged a protest at Freedom Park on Monday, more than five months after a demolition drive left over 200 families homeless in Yelahanka’s Kogilu Layout. </p>.<p>The protesters raised slogans of “Give us a home, or send us to jail”, accusing the state government of not fulfilling its rehabilitation promises.</p>.<p>The displaced families, along with a coalition of labour, minority, and women’s rights organisations, had earlier called for an indefinite strike. The demonstrators have now decided to temporarily halt it after speaking to the deputy commissioner (DC). </p>.<p>“The DC has assured us that within 24 hours, a date will be set for a meeting on the discussion of housing for displaced Kogilu residents. We have given them a week. If there is no positive movement from the government, we’ll be going on an indefinite strike from May 26,” said Nandhini, a member of the Kogilu Layout Victims’ Struggle Committee. </p>.<p>The residents said they were forced to live under tarpaulins and have pulled their children out of school for over 180 days now as the government razed their houses. </p>.Give rehabilitation or will go on stir: Bengaluru's Kogilu Layout residents.<p>The government had initially promised relocation and tasked the Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation with conducting surveys. However, the protestors claimed no concrete relief has been provided. </p>.<p>They also alleged that the government is creating systematic barriers. </p>.<p>The displaced residents are reportedly being asked to produce an extensive list of paperwork, including income certificates, voter IDs, ration cards, and bank details.</p>.<p>“The residents come from destitute communities. Many are illiterate. What sense does it make to ask these people for income and caste certificates? The government is making it harder by the day for these displayed families to get any help. They have been labelled Bangladeshis, but no official body has been able to prove that statement,” said Issac Amrutha Raj, state president, Slum Janara Sanghatane-Karnataka. </p>
<p>Bengaluru: Hundreds of displaced families from Kogilu and activists of various civil society groups staged a protest at Freedom Park on Monday, more than five months after a demolition drive left over 200 families homeless in Yelahanka’s Kogilu Layout. </p>.<p>The protesters raised slogans of “Give us a home, or send us to jail”, accusing the state government of not fulfilling its rehabilitation promises.</p>.<p>The displaced families, along with a coalition of labour, minority, and women’s rights organisations, had earlier called for an indefinite strike. The demonstrators have now decided to temporarily halt it after speaking to the deputy commissioner (DC). </p>.<p>“The DC has assured us that within 24 hours, a date will be set for a meeting on the discussion of housing for displaced Kogilu residents. We have given them a week. If there is no positive movement from the government, we’ll be going on an indefinite strike from May 26,” said Nandhini, a member of the Kogilu Layout Victims’ Struggle Committee. </p>.<p>The residents said they were forced to live under tarpaulins and have pulled their children out of school for over 180 days now as the government razed their houses. </p>.Give rehabilitation or will go on stir: Bengaluru's Kogilu Layout residents.<p>The government had initially promised relocation and tasked the Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation with conducting surveys. However, the protestors claimed no concrete relief has been provided. </p>.<p>They also alleged that the government is creating systematic barriers. </p>.<p>The displaced residents are reportedly being asked to produce an extensive list of paperwork, including income certificates, voter IDs, ration cards, and bank details.</p>.<p>“The residents come from destitute communities. Many are illiterate. What sense does it make to ask these people for income and caste certificates? The government is making it harder by the day for these displayed families to get any help. They have been labelled Bangladeshis, but no official body has been able to prove that statement,” said Issac Amrutha Raj, state president, Slum Janara Sanghatane-Karnataka. </p>