Pune: NCP-SP MP Supriya Sule Urges Maharashtra Government To Halt Evictions In Panshet, Citing Five-Decade-Old Settlements

Pune: Baramati MP Supriya Sule from the Nationalist Congress Party - Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP) has raised concerns about the administration removing the constructed houses, shops, and other structures, as they are on government land. Sule went to X (formerly Twitter) about this on Saturday and asked the government to stop the action promptly.

The original issue referred to in Sule's tweet is the government-initiated eviction and potential demolition of structures in the Panshet area of Pune. The Panshet area falls under the Baramati Lok Sabha constituency, where Sule is an MP.

Speaking on X, Sule said, “In the Panshet area, citizens have constructed houses, shops, and other structures on government land. The government has issued notices to these citizens, ordering them to vacate the premises. However, these people have been living here for the past five to six decades. Evicting them without ensuring their proper rehabilitation or without hearing their side would be an injustice to them. Therefore, my request to the Minister of Water Resources, the Guardian Minister of Pune, and the Collector is that you kindly impose an immediate stay on this action and take appropriate steps towards the rehabilitation of these citizens.”

On her X post, she has tagged Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Pune District Guardian Minister Ajit Pawar, Maharashtra Water Resources Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, and Pune District Collector Jitendra Dudi.

What's the Issue?

This situation arose because local citizens have allegedly built houses, shops, and other establishments on government-owned land, primarily under the jurisdiction of the Water Resources Department near the Panshet Dam reservoir. The government has served eviction notices to the residents, ordering them to vacate the premises.

The central point of conflict, highlighted by political figures like Supriya Sule, is the humanitarian crisis this creates. Sule has argued that the affected citizens have been living in the area for five to six decades. She argues that displacing these long-time residents without a proper hearing or a concrete plan for adequate rehabilitation constitutes a severe injustice.

The key political demand is for the Water Resources Minister, the Pune Guardian Minister, and the District Collector to impose an immediate stay on the demolition drive. Sule has asked the government to prioritise the formulation and execution of a rehabilitation package for all affected families and shopkeepers.

Sule Faces Backlash From Netizens

The tweet has gone viral regarding MP Sule advocating for the alleged injustice against the people of the Panshet area. Many people have replied to the tweet saying that if she is advocating for the people who illegally built the home on the government land, it will motivate others to do the same. “No matter how old those structures are, if they're illegal, they have to be removed,” noted a netizen.

Another took a kind of personal jibe at MP Sule, saying, “Tai, if I built a home on the land owned by you, will you remove me or give me ‘justice'? What is illegal is illegal.”