A forgotten relic of Ahmedabad’s past, this lake steeped in history stretches across the southern edge of the city. Its waters once nourished the land around it. Called the Chandola Lake, it has over the years witnessed generations of struggle. The lake has taken care of countless families—farmers, vendors, and labourers—who built their lives upon its muddy edges, making it a patchwork of humble homes and makeshift businesses.
It stood at the crossroads of two worlds: the Muslim-majority settlement of Danilimda and the Hindu-dominated Isanpur. As the city expanded, it exacted a grievous price on the lake. Layers of encroachment dulled its charm.
Chandola Lake became a flashpoint after a terror attack in Kashmir last month.
The government, seizing upon the fear of foreign immigrants and anti-national elements, set its sights on Chandola’s residents.
Bulldozers were let loose to raze homes with no mercy. The sound of destruction echoed across the lakebed, as 4,000-odd families were torn from their homes.
Once rich with life, the lake now paints a desolate picture, with its future uncertain.
Authorities detained 890 people from the Chandola Lake area on suspicion of being illegal immigrants. According to reports, after a verification process, only 200 were confirmed to be foreign nationals.
The state government outlined a range of alleged criminal activities linked to the Chandola Lake area, justifying the demolition drive in an affidavit to the Gujarat High Court.
The affidavit pointed to the presence of illegal Bangladeshi nationals and anti-national elements, citing recent arrests of individuals connected to an al-Qaeda sleeper cell. It also highlighted the lake’s gradual transformation into a hub for illegalities, including home to foreign immigrants.
The government was clear about what it was doing: the demolition was not a response to encroachments and necessary for national security. The operation was part of a broader effort to cleanse the area of criminal activity.
Authorities began demolishing the settlement on April 29, with 74 bulldozers and 200 trucks clearing 1.5 lakh square meters of land, far surpassing the original target of 1.25 lakh. The Gujarat Municipal Corporation (AMC) claimed this was to remove illegal encroachments, particularly from Bangladeshis and those involved in anti-national activities, including an al-Qaeda module. Despite this, many residents, some of whom had lived there for generations, were caught off guard, their homes and shops destroyed with minimal notice.
The government justified the demolitions by citing the lake’s protected status and a court ruling. But the evictees have asked whether they deserved a legal notice and resettlement options. What have they done for their lives to be uprooted overnight?
According to a report, published by a national daily, residents who had lived in the area for decades, some since the 1985 communal riots, expressed their frustration and helplessness. As the bulldozers flattened their homes, electricity connections were also severed, further exacerbating their hardship.
The AMC, under Municipal Commissioner Banchha Nidhi Pani, vowed to prevent further encroachment, starting a survey to identify those displaced and to develop plans for resettlement. However, as the dust settled and the lakebed lay exposed, the future of these families remained uncertain. The Gujarat government continues to pursue its redevelopment plans for Chandola Lake, but without clear resettlement solutions, many residents feel left behind in the wake of the drive.
Several residents of the Chandola Lake area shared similar plights during the recent demolition drive. One woman, whose house and shop were first demolished, moved her belongings to a nearby scrap shop, only to have that taken as well.
A vegetable vendor had been living there since childhood. He expressed his deep frustration, feeling caught between the government’s actions against foreign immigrants and their treatment of him and his family, who he said were Indian citizens.
Another family, whose electricity was cut off without prior warning, struggled with the hardship of losing both their home and power supply.
The challenges revealed the harsh reality of displacement, where even the most basic rights and protections seemed to be denied in the face of a swift and unrelenting demolition campaign.
Also Read: Indian Muslims Pushed Into A Corner https://www.vibesofindia.com/indian-muslims-pushed-into-a-corner-2/
