Uttar Pradesh: ‘The house is gone, our rare books are gone’, Fatmi sahab is more upset about the library being razed to the ground in the bulldozer action

The people who were victims of bulldozer action on the suspicion of having links with mafia Atiq Ahmed have got a big relief from the decision of the Supreme Court. But there are many people who regret losing their most beloved thing. One of such people is Ali Ahmed Fatmi, who after retiring from the Urdu department of Allahabad University, had built a rich library of rare books in his house and his library was also razed to the ground in the demolition action.

Retired professor narrated his ordeal

Fatmi said, “On the evening of March 6, 2021, the PDA gave a notice and came to demolish the house on March 7. We could not even remove our belongings. I had a big library in which there were thousands of books which were very rare. We could not even protect those books.” He said, “Some of our students saved some books by putting them in sacks, but many books were ruined. No one can take away this pain. The house is gone, so are our books. In September of the same year, my wife also passed away… she could not bear the shock and later I also got heart disease.”

Daughter’s house was also demolished by bulldozer

Fatmi said, “After retirement, I got some funds from which I had bought a flat in Kareli. I gave that flat to my daughter Nayla Fatmi because her house was also demolished by bulldozer. Now I live in the same flat with my daughter.” Fatmi says that out of love for her parents, she had built a house nearby in which she was able to live for only five years with great difficulty. Well, whatever happened, happened, but at least the court took cognizance of it. Now it remains to be seen from the copy of the order whether the land will be given or not.

Give compensation of Rs 10 lakh each to those whose houses were demolished – Supreme Court

The Supreme Court, in its recent decision, termed the demolition of houses in Prayagraj in the year 2021 as “inhuman and illegal” and ordered the Prayagraj Development Authority to pay compensation of Rs 10 lakh to each of the five petitioners. Vijay Kumar Singh, a resident of Beniganj, who lost his house in the demolition action, told the media, “The house which was demolished in a few hours, I had bought it just nine months ago and after the house was demolished, I had to move to a rented house.” He said, “After the house was demolished, I took shelter in a relative’s house and after a few days we moved to a rented house. I had spent all my earnings to buy that house.”

‘Bought a house by saving money for years, demolished it in a single day’

Singh, who lives in a rented house with his wife Vandana and two children, avoids passing by his old house. He says, “I feel very sad while passing by there. Whenever I pass by there, old memories are refreshed.” Waqf Ansari, who looked very emotional after the Supreme Court’s decision, said, “The demolition of that house was like the destruction of a dream house. We had bought that house by saving money for years and it was demolished in a single day. We are not so rich that we can buy another house. That is why we live in a rented house.”