An Update on the ‘Legal’ Hearing of the Dhobis

We may recall that the dhobis were served a third eviction notice on 3rd January, 2025, asking them to appear before the Institute authority under the Eviction Act 1971 on Monday, 20th January (for details see here). In this notice signed by the Estate Officer it was stated that their (dhobis) occupation of Type IA quarters and Stores as well as structures at the dhobighat was illegal, and that they were indulging in ‘illegal’ commercial activity, which we assume is their work as dhobis as it was not specified. The notice, as required by the law, asked the dhobis to present their case before the Institute authorities on the specified date. Here is a brief report on what happened on this 20th January hearing and its implications for the dhobis and the community.

Almost all of the dhobis appeared for the quasi-judicial hearing where the Registrar of the Institute was a designated ‘judge’ apparently as per the requirements of the law. At least in one case, no one could appear as the person in whose name the notice was issued was deceased and no one else from the family was allowed to represent him in spite of the notice explicitly mentioning that a representative could appear for them. Each of the dhobis had gone there with a formal written response along with all the official documents that they have–their allotments letters for accommodations, stores and/or washing facilities, either in their names or in the names of one of the deceased parent/grandparent, bills/receipts of electricity charges and rentals for the facilities, as well as their hall passes. Many of them have document trails starting in the 1960s till the 2020s. The response also reiterated that their stay and work was not only legal but sanctioned by the very same authority of estate office and/or hall authorities as per the mandate of the Institute. And for all these six decades they have been continuously serving the Institute community. An English translation of a sample response letter is attached.

As mentioned above there was a very formal three-member panel including a judge (Registrar) and two more officials (from the Estate Office), but the hearing seemed to make a mockery of the process. In the hearing, in which each dhobi was asked to appear individually even though they asked to present their case collectively, the panel neither heard their side nor accepted their letters of response (though they did photocopy some pages from some of the letters). Instead, they asked questions which have almost

no connection with their own show cause notice of 3rdJanuary.

Thus, instead of asking about the legality of the dhobis’ accommodations or work, they were asked why they had not vacated their accommodation in spite of it being in such an unsafe condition (this was the reason given by the Institute in its first eviction notice dated 27thNovember, though this reason was changed arbitrarily in the later notices). They were also asked if they, or any family member, owned a house and its location. Some of them were even asked about the possessions in their houses – TV,

fridge, fan, cooler, satellite dish and AC! It should not be difficult for us to guess that answers to most of these amenities was in the negative. More importantly, these questions were absolutely unconnected to the matter at hand. They were even asked about the number of family members, their occupations, etc. Understandably the dhobis were quite taken aback by this line of questioning, as well the Institute’s refusal to take their written depositions and documents. They still tried to reply truthfully to these confusing questions. Most importantly, all of them reiterated that they are willing to vacate the current dhobighat and their accommodations there as soon as authorities make an alternate arrangement for them to do manual washing, drying and securing of the clothes for round the clock work for such a large number of clients.

At the end of the meeting, the dhobis were simply told that the institute would get back to them, but without any timeline or indication of what the next step of the Institute might be. The dhobis have no idea of what to make of these proceedings; they were not even given any written document about what was recorded in their names in this hearing.

The dhobis have subsequently (on January 21) speed-posted their written depositions, along with the copies of the relevant documents, which were not received during the hearing, so that their position is on record.

So far, the Institute has refused to offer any formal assurance of livelihood to the dhobis since the first eviction notice was issued to

them on 27th Nov. 2024. The dhobis and their families, young and old, continue with their lives amidst all these uncertainties - cleaning our clothes, going to school and appearing for exams, taking the ill to doctors and hospitals, in fact one of them passed away during this period too. We are aware that a very large part of the community believes that the dhobis should be allowed to continue working within the Institute premises. But this is the time to demonstrate our support in a tangible manner to their right to a dignified livelihood inside the campus like the rest of us.

Hamara Manch

24th Jan. 2025