Bengaluru: Slum Janandolana Karnataka and the Savitribai Phule Women’s Organization held a demonstration at Freedom Park on Monday, urging the government to end social and economic discrimination against slum residents.
The protesters demanded a ₹5,000 crore allocation in the state budget for slum development, highlighting the lack of basic amenities such as housing, water, roads, sewage, streetlights, toilets, and employment opportunities. They argued that the denial of these essentials violates the constitutional promise of equality.
“We call upon the Karnataka government, committed to social justice, to take a decisive stand in our favor,” their statement read.
Key Demands
🔹 ₹5,000 crore for slum development in the upcoming budget.
🔹 Government funding to regularize private slums through land acquisition.
🔹 Amendments to the Karnataka Slum Development Board Act in its golden jubilee year.
🔹 Formation of a dedicated ministry for slum dwellers’ social and economic empowerment.
🔹 Implementation of the 2017-18 land bank scheme for SC/ST housing, as per the Chitradurga Declaration.
🔹 Renaming of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and ₹25,000 grant for marginalized communities.
🔹 Clear policies for tenement slums and land allocation for slum rehabilitation.
The protesters warned that without immediate intervention, slum dwellers would remain marginalized, urging authorities to act on their constitutional obligations.
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