'Right To Accomodation' Protest In Delhi University

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Taking the initiative to address and combat against the unfair and disproportionate rent fee and poor maintenance of the residential buildings, the students of Delhi University have been staging 'Indefinite & Relay Hunger Strike & Civil Disobedience Movement' here at Christian Colony, Patel Chest for the past one week.

Among many others who are taking part in the hunger strike, is Sachin Thoudam, a student from Manipur. The protest is flagged by important grievances such as 'Right to Accommodation' and 'Implement Delhi Rent Act, 1958'.

The colony is one of the most congested places in North DU campus where a large number of Manipuri Diaspora are staying, majority of which are students presently studying in DU or preparing for competitive exams. During the last few years a large population of students' communities from various places including the far-flung places such as Manipur has been surging in the place, which can't be all accommodated in the colony.

Taking this opportunity of supply shock, the landlords have charged the students an exorbitant rent fee as high as Rs 8000 in single room,which does not commensurate the facilities and the conditions of the rooms.

And, students from the North-Eastern side are further cornered because of their inability to articulate properly and bargain the fee in Hindi. The living rooms are mostly very small and singled-room size, and the civic facilities such as washrooms, drinking water and above all the civic cleanliness are not properly maintained.

All these are blatant violations of the Delhi Rent Act, 1958, which provides the regulation of rent, repairs and maintenance and evictions relating to premises and of rates of hotels and lodging houses in National Capital Territory. Some key points of DRA, 1958 are

1. There should be a valid agreement between Landlords and every tenant should be given receipt after getting the room.

2. There is a standard rent payable to the landlord, which is calculated on the basis of 10% per annum of the aggregate amount of cost, of construction and market price of land acquired prior to the commencement of the construction.

3. To implement this, there should be a Rent Authority to fix the Standard Rent and to inspect if the various provisions in this act are followed or not, and many more which are never followed in practice.

During the last few days, some important personalities from some parties and authorities concerned have come to have dialogue and discussion with the students for a solution and some ensured that the problem will be resolved once a government comes into power in Delhi.

Among those Dr. Rk Ranjan, an MP candidate of BJP in Inner Manipur constituency came to the protest site to look after the situation and health conditions of the fasting students. He strongly voiced against the present rent control system. His speech mesmerized the students' gathering there and received round of applause.

A spokesperson of the protest group revealed that they would keep on going until a common consensus is arrived from the authorities concerned and the landlords. They also mooted the formation of a Tenants' Welfare Assn. to receive complaints and grievances of students and to further proceed it to the authorities concerned.

Once this course of action proves fruitful, the movement will spread further to other places such as Vijyanagar, kamla nagar where are lots of students staying.

****Everyone has right to life, so does right to accommodation*****