Homeless accused of refusing entry to night shelters in Delhi without Aadhaar

Homeless people sleeping outside AIIMS in New Delhi. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangements

Homeless people are barred from entering night shelters because they cannot produce Aadhaar cards or provide cell phone numbers, some of the facility seekers alleged.

A senior official of the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), which has set up facilities in the national capital, denied the allegations, saying no homeless person has been denied entry.

However, the official said that staff present at every night shelter have been instructed to keep the details of the people staying there.

‘record keeping’

“They have been instructed to collect basic details of the occupants, if not at least their phone numbers. No shelter seeker is being turned away. Homeless persons are advised to visit some other facility in case of non-availability of beds at a site,” the official added.

The chief minister’s office has not given any reply on this issue.

DUSIB has set up 197 shelters to accommodate over 7,000 people across Delhi under its Winter Action Scheme. These shelters are supposed to provide homeless people with basic amenities including mattresses, blankets, drinking water and functional toilets.

However, 42-year-old Sanjog, who was huddled on a blanket spread on a bed made of tarpaulin outside a pagoda tent on Lodhi Road, said the authorities did not allow him to sleep inside the room even though a bed was available there.

“They asked me to produce my Aadhaar card or give my cell phone number,” said the Rae Bareli resident.

He said that it is difficult to get a permanent identity card for people like him who collect scraps for vagrants and live on the roadside and phone numbers are a luxury.

“It is difficult to manage two square meals a day. Where to get the phone from?” He said.

Next to him slept 39-year-old Tejveer, who was also “rejected” a bed at the night shelter because he did not have an Aadhaar card available.

“I told the officials that I don’t have Aadhaar card but I had a photo of my voter ID card on my phone, which I had lost while working in Kashmir Gate area last month. Despite my pleas, they did not let me in,” he said.

Increased scrutiny for some

Meanwhile, at a night shelter in Kashmere Gate area, occupants complained of being scrutinized when they showed their Aadhaar cards with the names of places located in West Bengal.

45-year-old Miraj Sk Hindu That in the last few weeks, he has noticed an increase in scrutiny whenever a Bengali-speaking person comes to his night shelter.

“I have been staying in this night shelter for the past few weeks. Despite giving my Aadhaar card details and phone number, they have been inquiring about my hometown for the past few days. They asked me where Bardhaman is and how far it is from the Bangladesh border,” he said.

He said every Bengali speaking person is being treated equally.

“They don’t inquire about the exact location or home town of those coming from UP, Bihar or Haryana, but when a Bengali person comes, such questions arise,” he said, adding that many who do not have an Aadhaar card are simply rejected. a bed

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