Rush for cheap homes at GHB office, rumors responsible

Ahmedabad, 27 August 2012

The whole incident started with rumor and then escalated as rumor spread further.

On Monday morning a group of women and other gathered at the office of the Gujarat Housing Board in Ahmedabad to collect forms for the state government’s affordable housing scheme.

Interestingly the Gujarat Housing Board had not made any announcement or issued no advertisement on distribution of forms for proposed housing scheme which is presently in tendering stage.

The police had to resort to a mild lathicharge outside the Gujarat Housing Board office in Ahmedabad to control the crowd.

Gujarat Housing Board has recently announced to build 6300 affordable homes in five cities, and newspapers had carried reports on this, following which people rushed to the GHB office to collect the forms of the scheme. However no form distribution programme was announced.

Reacting to this Gujarat BJP spokesperson Vijaybhai Rupani said, “the incident happened due to rumour. Now this proves a point that even rumour can bring crowds to GHB office, then queues to collect forms at Congress centers was not a big deal. Even Bahujan Samaj Party can attract crowds of people by announcing housing scheme.”

In his reaction the Gujarat Housing Board chief Jayanti Barot said that GHB is committed to launch a scheme of 6300 affordable houses soon. Barot clarified that neither an advertisement was given, nor announcement was made on distribution of forms. “It’s rumor that brought crowds to GHB office. When we are done with the process we will declare a date of form distribution, and we will make proper arrangements for that.”

Meanwhile in a statement the Leader of opposition Shaktisinh Gohil condemned police action on women and said if the government was really concerned about the problem of housing of people why did it not build any house during the last 12 years? On the other hand the land reserved by Congress for people was de reserved and given to favoured persons.

Gohil said at certain places some houses were constructed but they are now in dilapidated condition. Houses in Nari chowkdi in Bhavnagar are best example of this. Such houses are lying deserted and desolate. Poor people who had paid deposit for these houses find their money trapped. The government gave 100 acre of land to Tata for building a township, 1100 acre land which was kept reserved for Animal Husbandry University has also been given to Tata for its Nano car plant. If CM had really any concern for people this 1200 acre of land near Ahmedabad would have provided space for houses to all.

Gohil provided media photographs of police action on women and demanded that CM must apologize for police action on women. Mr. Gohil has demanded the Gujarat government should become complainant and register police complaint against those who instigated this ruckus and the policemen who indulged in lathicharge.