“Surplus Humanity” and the Margins of Legality - Chapman University
“Surplus Humanity” and the Margins of Legality - Chapman University
“Surplus Humanity” and the Margins of Legality - Chapman University
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Do Not Delete 12/12/2010 7:34 PM<br />
46 <strong>Chapman</strong> Law Review [Vol. 14:1<br />
or <strong>the</strong> hardship <strong>of</strong> monsoons or school examinations. Today, demolitions<br />
<strong>of</strong> slums are being directed on <strong>the</strong> orders <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> courts. 305<br />
How did <strong>the</strong> courts accomplish this sharp turn in a very<br />
short span <strong>of</strong> time? This was accomplished by deploying <strong>the</strong><br />
whole array <strong>of</strong> neoliberal values, priorities, <strong>and</strong> prescriptions<br />
related to urban policy. Having m<strong>and</strong>ated resettlement <strong>and</strong><br />
alternate housing for those evicted in earlier decisions, when<br />
again faced with <strong>the</strong> question <strong>the</strong> Supreme Court articulated a<br />
newfound interest in fiscal responsibility <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> state, <strong>and</strong> linked<br />
it with implied irresponsibility <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> urban poor. 306 In 1993, <strong>the</strong><br />
Supreme Court expressed a concern that ―<strong>the</strong> public exchequer<br />
has to be burdened with crores [tens <strong>of</strong> millions] <strong>of</strong> rupees for<br />
providing alternative accommodation to [those] who are<br />
trespassers on public l<strong>and</strong>,‖ <strong>and</strong> directed that where resettlement<br />
was done, <strong>the</strong> resettled should not be given new l<strong>and</strong> on<br />
leasehold, but on license. 307 The short rope <strong>of</strong> a revocable license<br />
would keep <strong>the</strong> ―irresponsible‖ disciplined <strong>and</strong> controlled.<br />
The next step was to braid fiscal responsibility with a desire<br />
for a clean city, <strong>and</strong> graduate <strong>the</strong> ―irresponsibility‖ <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> poor<br />
into criminality. In 1996, <strong>the</strong> Supreme Court ordered that<br />
hazardous industries be moved outside <strong>the</strong> city limits <strong>and</strong> that<br />
cities be cleaned up. 308 The Delhi High Court was quick to fall in<br />
line <strong>and</strong> ordered eviction <strong>of</strong> all squatters in Delhi because it ―is a<br />
show window to <strong>the</strong> world <strong>of</strong> our culture, heritage, traditions <strong>and</strong><br />
way <strong>of</strong> life. It cannot be allowed to degenerate <strong>and</strong> decay.‖ 309 The<br />
Supreme Court picked up <strong>the</strong> pace in 2000, bemoaning that while<br />
Delhi was a ―showcase <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> country,‖ yet ―no effective initiative<br />
<strong>of</strong> any kind‖ had been taken for ―cleaning up <strong>the</strong> city.‖ 310 The<br />
Court characterized slums as ―large areas <strong>of</strong> public<br />
l<strong>and</strong> . . . usurped for private use free <strong>of</strong> cost,‖ <strong>and</strong> a plan to<br />
provide <strong>the</strong> free l<strong>and</strong> for resettlement was rejected as ―a proposal<br />
which attracts more l<strong>and</strong> grabbers. Rewarding an encroacher on<br />
public l<strong>and</strong> with an alternative free site is like giving a reward to<br />
a pickpocket.‖ 311 Giving garbage priority over <strong>the</strong> destitute, <strong>the</strong><br />
305 Rakesh Shukla, Rights <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Poor: An Overview <strong>of</strong> Supreme Court, ECO. & POL.<br />
WKLY. 3755, 3757 (2006).<br />
306 See Usha Ramanathan, Illegality <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> Urban Poor, 41 ECO. & POL. WKLY.<br />
3193, 3194 (2006).<br />
307 Id.<br />
308 M.C. Mehta v. Union <strong>of</strong> India, (1996) 4 S.C.C. 750, available at<br />
http://www.nlsenlaw.org.; B.L. Wadhera v. Union <strong>of</strong> India, (1996) 2 S.C.C. 594 (India),<br />
available at http://www.ielrc.org/content/e960.pdf.<br />
309 Samitii, CWP 4215/1995, at 128 (emphasis added).<br />
310 Almitra Patel v. Union <strong>of</strong> India, (2000) 2 S.C.C. 679, 684–85 (India) (emphasis<br />
added).<br />
311 Id. (emphasis added). The Delhi High Court endorsed this language: ―One cannot<br />
but use <strong>the</strong> expression as stated in <strong>the</strong> said [Almitra] judgment.‖ Wazirpur Barton