Residents of Nakti village, whose houses were demolished during an anti-encroachment drive for the proposed MLA colony, staged a protest at the Raipur Collectorate on Wednesday, demanding rehabilitation and reconstruction of their homes. The protesters, many of whom were among the families affected by the demolition, raised slogans against the district administration as well as MP Brijmohan Agrawal and MLA Anuj Sharma. Several women broke down during the demonstration while seeking justice and immediate intervention from the authorities. The affected families alleged that they had been misled in the rehabilitation process. According to the protesters, families comprising 15 to 20 members have been allotted only single-room flats, which they said are inadequate for their needs. Villagers claimed they had built their homes using their lifetime savings, with some alleging that they had sold agricultural land to construct the houses.

 

They questioned why they were treated as encroachers only during the demolition drive, despite political leaders having sought their votes during elections. The protesters demanded that the government reconstruct their houses within Nakti village instead of relocating them elsewhere. They also called for a review of the rehabilitation policy to ensure affected families receive adequate housing and residential land. The protest comes amid continuing political controversy over the demolition drive, with opposition leaders questioning the proposed construction of an MLA colony at the site. The administration has maintained that rehabilitation measures are being undertaken for the affected families. The villagers warned that their agitation would intensify if they were not provided with satisfactory rehabilitation at the earliest.