A harrowing case of mass displacement has unfolded at the Chandola Lake area in Gujarat, where over 8,000 families were evicted overnight without prior notice or any alternative resettlement. Images that circulate on social media show women, children and the elderly lying in the open as their homes lay flattened by the state bulldozers. These residents had lived in the area for over three to four decades. Many possessed voter ID cards, Aadhaar cards, ration cards and other state-issued documents that validated their long-term residence in the area.

Yet, despite this, the Gujarat government reportedly labelled them as ‘foreign nationals’ or ‘Rohingya’ – a term increasingly weaponised in India’s political discourse to stigmatise and erase Muslim slum dwellers. 

A voter ID card signifies not only proof of residence but also long-term inclusion on the electoral roll, thereby establishing a statutory right to vote. Similarly, ration cards have been accepted as valid proof of residence in rehabilitation policies, such as those implemented in Delhi for slum dwellers. Ironically, actual Rohingya refugees who are stateless would not possess such identity cards. This glaring contradiction exposes the hollowness of the state’s claims, which appear bent on rendering these families homeless.

The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.