Why bulldozer politics is giving JCB a bad name

Why read this story?

Editor's note: On day 1, they came for the houses. On day 2, they broke down the shops. On day 3, they tore into their personal belongings. It looked like a demolition. It felt like violence. At the receiving end were over a thousand houses of the nomads of Gurugram’s Banjara Market. By the third day, they had lost any hope of relief. When the bulldozers rolled in at 11 am, most of them mutely watched as the machines mounted an assault. The young tried to salvage whatever was left from the debris. The old sat under a tree, smoking hookahs (water pipes), tears in their eyes. For years, Banjara Market had been a favoured destination for people from Delhi and Gurugram who liked their home décor a touch boho. The market featured the most unique of fabrics, ceramics, utensils and furniture, and you could haggle your way to a good bargain. At its centre are the Gadia-lohars, an artisan community that traces its roots to Chittorgarh in Rajasthan. They get their name from their gypsy lifestyle: “gadia” refers to a bullock …