Balmikis' homes won't be demolished for now, members end fast

Members of Balmiki community here ended their nine-day hunger strike today after assurances that a proposal against demolition of their homes would be sent to the state government "within 15 days".
National Scheduled Castes and Sub-castes Commission's vice president Raj Kumar interacted with the fasting members and said the district administration will send its proposal against demolition of their homes within 15 days.
Kumar said he himself would monitor the official action on this count.
He assured them that the proposal will be sent to the state government for its final stamp and criminal cases instituted against the community members too will be withdrawn.

Kumar said that three of the seven persons on hunger strike, whose health had deteriorated to some extent, have been hospitalised and are under the intensive care of the chief medical officer Dr M L Pushkar.
Pushkar informed PTI that the trio have been kept in a fully-guarded room by team of doctors and all necessary treatment including medicines and food are being provided.

They will recover soon, he said.
Besides Kumar, Inspector General of Police Vijay Singh Meena, the District Collector and SP were present during deliberations.
During the agitation, the Balmikis had exhibited their resolve to embrace Islam by donning skull caps but clerics of Rampur and Amroha had refused to convert them.

To restrain Balmiki community from embracing Islam to save their homes from getting demolished, BJP's Scheduled Castes wing's national vice president Bhagwat Prasad and a chunk of party's activists had also participated in the agitation.
Seven members of the community had sat on a hunger strike after the municipal board declared a locality of Balmikis as unauthorised and decided to raze to ground the "illegal possessions".
The civil and police officers were posted to keep a 24-hour vigil in the locality.