‘My Home, My Right’: Dharamsala streets resound with anguish

Hundreds of residents poured onto the streets of Dharamsala on Tuesday under the banner “My Home, My Right”, protesting the administration’s planned demolition of homes classified as “illegal constructions.” The march, which began from Daarhi ground and culminated at the District Magistrate’s office, drew families who insisted they had lived on the land for generations and built houses with their life savings.

Adding political weight to the protest, local BJP MLA Sudhir Sharma joined demonstrators and accused authorities of double standards. “Why did the government allow construction for years, only to call it illegal now? This is sheer injustice. A policy to regularise such homes must be framed or agitation will escalate,” he warned.

The controversy stems from an August 2025 Himachal Pradesh High Court order striking down Section 163-A of the Land Revenue Act and mandating removal of all illegal encroachments by February 28, 2026. The ruling has triggered fears of mass displacement across Kangra and other districts.

However, the Supreme Court on September 20 ordered a status quo after petitions from affected families, offering temporary relief. Still, anguish was evident at the rally, especially among women and the elderly. “If our homes are razed, where will we go?” wept one elderly woman as chants for justice echoed through Dharamsala’s streets.