Displacement become Synonymous of Development​​

Karishma Kabadwal
LLM from Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Punjab, India.

Volume IV, Issue I, 2021

Ever since independence, the Indian state has been committed to an ideology of ‘development’ which is more focusing on infrastructure development, industrial growth, progress in science and technology, GDP growth means inclined towards economic development ignoring the other aspect of development such as social, cultural and ecological. This development has displaced people not only from their homes but homelands and this is visible by the development projects which characterises standard of living as their main component and not include way of living and well being in the ideology of development. Displacement not comprises only of relocation of land but it deprive people of many thing that are fundamental to their lives such as livelihood, familiar environment, sense of belongingness, community network and way of living. A sovereign nation right to development in a form of massive infrastructure growth violating the individual right to development which ensure full realisation of his\her being. Today the ideology of development is related to economic growth and pay less attention to remove inequality form the men’s life and ensure freedom of choice i.e., how to develop and where to develop. But these development project ensure GDP growth irrespective of the impact they cause on the life of the people and thus called them displaced not only from their lands but culture, familiar network, way of living and sense of belongings. The state by providing to these people as a resettlement site which have an access to basic amenities claim that they have provide them the dignified life. But this aspect of dignity is only fulfilling the physical attribute of an individual life not their security and felling of belongingness to that particular locality where they lost their network of caring and sharing. This results this that displaced people loss their capability i.e., state take away from them the proper human condition to know ones capability. This we call a new exploitation in the name of ‘Public Purpose’ which will benefit a particular section of society while the displaced people would end up in miserly. One of the main issues about the process of displacement that the affected people’s voice in relation to the rehabilitation had largely ignored. They only get inform about the process but no authority addresses their views and no consultation ever taken with these affected people which prepared the ground for social injustice.

Keyword: development-induced-displacement, capability approach, way of living, rights of the IDPs, new conservatives..​

DOI: http://doi.one/10.1732/IJLMH.25723