After a 3-year-long wait and two hunger strikes, Mathadi (head-loaders) and handcart pullers have again vowed to go on a fasting protest if the state government doesn’t pass a resolution by today (August 19) regarding the allocation of 3,313 houses built for them.
Led by Dharmaraj Jadhav, Textile Bazaar Workers’ New Housing Committee issued an ultimatum, saying that if the government fails to act, the workers are prepared to launch a hunger strike at Azad Maidan.
Their demand centers around the housing scheme in Charkop’s Sahyadrinagar, where 3,313 Mathadi and handcart workers, currently residing in Kandivali (West), have been promised their dream homes. These workers have been advocating for their right to housing for years.
Under the Committee banner, they earlier went on a 22-day hunger strike at Azad Maidan from February 29 to March 21. The protest was called off when the model code of conduct for the Lok Sabha elections was announced. The committee had specified that the demands were not met.
Fighting for the cause since 2021, it has been urging the government to allot houses to the workers, particularly those involved in the cloth market. The committee insists that they should be housed through the cloth market and shops board, however, there is little progress. Despite continuous follow-ups, the government is yet to make a decision, said the committee.
On July 25, the aggrieved again went on an indefinite hunger strike at Azad Maidan. They paused the protest following the assurance from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) to resolve the issue within eight days. However, two weeks have passed without any progress, pointed out the committee.
In a letter addressed to the CMO, Jadhav expressed “deep frustration” over the prolonged delay in securing housing on government-allotted plots. “We, handcart and Mathadi workers in the textile market, have been deprived of the hope of getting a house. On March 30, 2021, we corresponded with the then Chief Minister, yet no resolution was provided,” said Jadhav.
He continued, “Every day during our previous fasts, we sent statements and applications to the CMO through the Azad Maidan police, but we received no response. We request that you (government) make a decision before August 19 or we will begin our third hunger strike on that date.”
