Who Are the Victims of the Land Confiscation and Demolition of Homes in Daman?

The actions of the State Administrator, Mr Praful K. Patel impact the already marginalised and poor fishing community in Daman as well as the old, infirm, the young and the disabled.

These people have been unlawfully evicted from their homes without any regard to consultation, legal process and or the provision of alternative accommodation. They do not have the money to take legal action against the State.  Whilst ‘Legal aid’ exists in India, access to the same is not straightforward and is riddled with a host of obstructions, the net effect of which is to deny the opportunity to access justice.

Only a few number of Indian and Portuguese owners of the affected properties settled abroad, have formally instructed lawyers to challenge the actions of the State Administrator.

Poverty and the lack of education means that the victims do not realise that they have basic Human Rights and they can seek to redress. They are resigned to accept and tolerate their fate. Their lack of awareness of their rights, is exploited by the State and the politicians who serve under it. This should not be tolerated. It needs to be challenged.

A twenty-first century India, the world’s largest democracy urgently needs to familiarise itself with United Nations’s Declaration in relation to Human Rights and to implement it.