Devika Rotawan, youngest 26/11 survivor, to maneuver into government-allotted flat in Andheri after 5-year authorized battle | Instagram
Mumbai: After practically 5 years of authorized battles, Devika Rotawan, the youngest survivor and a key eyewitness of the 26/11 Mumbai terror assault, is lastly set to maneuver into her new residence.
Now 25, Devika was simply 9 years previous when she sustained a bullet harm to her leg throughout the terrorist capturing at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) railway station. She had been there together with her father and brother, each of whom had been additionally injured. Two of the ten terrorists had opened fireplace indiscriminately at evening, leaving 58 lifeless and 104 injured.
Devika later performed an important position within the trial earlier than a particular courtroom by figuring out Ajmal Kasab, the lone terrorist captured alive. On Monday, in an X submit by famous industrialist Harsh Goenka lamenting that “At 9 she confronted bullet within the 26/11 assaults. She appeared Kasab within the eye and testified sending a terrorist Ajmal to the gallows. What did Devika get in return? No job. No help. No residence for years….If that is how we deal with our bravest? What does patriotism even imply?” Clearly Goenka was not up to date in regards to the information.
Devika instructed the FPJ on Tuesday “Now we have been allotted a home in Andheri (W) by the state authorities, and shortly we shall be shifting there from our hut in Bandra (W) the place I reside with my father and brother each of whom undergo from severe well being points and are unable to work. The household has been dwelling in poverty and dealing with the specter of eviction as a result of unpaid lease.”
Devika’s wrestle for housing started in 2020 when she first approached the Bombay Excessive Court docket, looking for a government-allotted residence. After two failed makes an attempt, it was solely throughout the third spherical of litigation that the state lastly acted. In March final 12 months, following a robust remark by the Excessive Court docket, the federal government assured it could allot a house to Devika beneath MHADA or SRA schemes inside six months.
The courtroom had directed the housing minister to think about the matter with “sensitivity,” noting it was an “distinctive and real case” deserving particular consideration. Beforehand, the housing division had denied her request for a flat beneath the Economically Weaker Part (EWS) quota.
Although a flat was allotted final 12 months, the undertaking was incomplete and plagued with points, resulting in the cancellation of the allotment. Two months in the past, the federal government lastly allotted Devika a one-BHK flat in Andheri.
“We shall be shifting there quickly after the tiling work is accomplished,” she stated. “The paperwork is full and we’re excited to shift to the brand new place.” Whereas the constructing was prepared, the household needed to anticipate water connections and different services to be finalized — which are actually in place.
Devika has accomplished her Bachelor of Arts and is actively on the lookout for a job to help her household. In courtroom, she had argued that her household couldn’t maintain itself as her father and brother had been incapable of working and so they confronted the danger of homelessness.
She had first filed the same plea in 2020, when the courtroom requested the federal government to think about her plea and cross applicable orders. She as soon as once more approached the HC in 2022, stating that the federal government had rejected her illustration.
On the time, the federal government stated that it had granted a compensation of Rs 13.26 lakh to her, on compassionate grounds. The HC, as soon as once more, requested the federal government to think about her illustration for allotment of residential premises.
As the identical was rejected, Rotawan approached the HC once more. The HC as soon as once more intervened and requested the state to think about her request saying: “When a real case is introduced earlier than the division, the identical would definitely require extra human sensitivity, and fundamental human rights, and extra significantly being a sufferer of a terrorist assault.”
After the flat was allotted, the decide had acknowledged the transfer: “We admire the choice taken by the (housing) minister, which based on us has granted actual justice to the petitioner contemplating her struggling which we’ve got famous in earlier order.”
