Ghaziabad: For years, they have been living in homes that the government now says have been illegally constructed. So, who's right in this case - the Uttar Pradesh government that wants to clear illegal settlements near the Delhi suburb of Ghaziabad or the people who have called this a home for years?
Angry crowds burnt 12 vehicles, blocked the National Highway No 24, and even stoned the police when they tried to restore order on Saturday. The provocation was the government order to demolish illegal settlements on the bank of the Hindon river.
"We have been living here for years. We have all the papers, it's not illegal," said a local resident.
The fear of being made homeless has been manifested in violence and destruction of property. And there is no sense of remorse. People say they will do it again if the government doesn't change its mind.
'If you ask us to vacate our houses we will bring the city to a standstill or burn it down' - a clear threat by the mob to the state, but whose loss is it anyway to burn down public property like this?
It took the police a while to calm the situation and restore traffic movement on the highway. Twelve people have also been detained. But in the end, the protesters seemed to have had their way. The government said it would not act in haste.
But if it's an illegal settlement, why was it allowed to come up in the first place? And how come no action was taken for years?