Rewa demolition leaves 53 families homeless:Residents allege betrayal, political row intensifies amid land deal allegations and protests

The administration kept asking us to vacate, but we couldn’t remove our belongings. Essential items got buried in the debris. Now no one is even concerned about our food and sustenance. A visible mix of anger and helplessness is evident on Gudia Kol’s face as she speaks. The house she had lived in for 30–35 years has now turned into rubble. Gudia is not alone. On March 21, the Rewa district administration demolished 53 houses built on land of a former leather factory. The administration says the action was taken on High Court orders, as the houses were illegal encroachments on government land. However, residents claim they had been paying property tax and electricity-water bills for years. People allege that the houses were demolished to benefit a builder. The issue has now taken a political turn. Before the demolition, victims had met Deputy CM Rajendra Shukla, who had assured that the houses would not be demolished and promised Rs 20,000 as assistance. Meanwhile, Congress MLA Abhay Mishra alleged that the Deputy CM has an interest in the land and, in a viral video, called the action “token”. What is the condition of people after the houses were demolished, what is the High Court’s order and how much truth is there in allegations of benefiting the builder? To find answers to these questions, the Bhaskar team reached among the victims. Read the full report… People searching for essential items in debris When the Bhaskar team reached the leather factory site, debris from demolished houses was scattered everywhere. People were searching for their belongings in the rubble. Children sat in the open, while women collected bricks to arrange shelter elsewhere. Gudia Kol said, “The administration kept telling us to vacate, and we couldn’t even remove our belongings. When we protested, police made us sit in vehicles.” She questioned that Rajendra Shukla had assured the houses would not be demolished, so under whose orders was this action taken? Like Gudia, 80-year-old Sukhbariya Kol was also seen searching through debris. She said in tears, “Where will we go? We lived here. The bulldozer came and we were driven away. Police threw out some belongings. My family lived and died here.”
Land was declared government property in 2023 Like Munni Kol, Umadevi Sondhiya raised similar concerns. She said, “I cannot walk properly, live alone and have poor eyesight. I survive by begging at a temple. I have no children.” Nearby resident Sanjay Tiwari said, “During Navratri, people had sown ‘jawaras’ in their homes, but the administration ignored it.” According to him, a leather factory existed here in 1975, which later shut down, after which workers settled there. Till 2023, the land records were in the factory’s name and included residents’ names, but it was suddenly declared government land. He called this suspicious and alleged that government land is being sold cheaply. He added that residents had met Rajendra Shukla, who had assured that only partial demolition for road widening would take place and others would be allowed to stay. Political Turmoil: Allegations Against Deputy CM Intensify The matter has now turned political. Congress MLA from Semaria, Abhay Mishra, has accused Deputy CM Rajendra Shukla. According to Mishra, in a video, Shukla is allegedly heard saying, “There is pressure from the High Court, action will have to be taken for show.” He also mentions giving Rs 20,000 each as discretionary aid to remove 20 houses. Mishra questioned, “Discretionary funds are meant to help the poor, not to suppress protest in land disputes.” He also alleged statements about “defying the High Court” in the video.
SDM said – Action taken on High Court’s order SDM Anurag Tiwari termed it a legal process. He said, “Three and a half acres of land belongs to the government, earlier recorded under the leather factory. After NOCs from various departments, it was transferred to the government. Cases against 53 families had been pending for a long time.” According to the SDM, the action followed a High Court order related to a road widening petition. He said, “The High Court treated it as encroachment, and the administration has submitted its reply.”
What will happen to the land finally? The future of three and a half acres of land is now surrounded by questions. Ministers, officers, MLAs and victims, all have different claims that do not match with each other.