Urgent call for help in Glasgow, Thursday 16th MarchSTOP THIS EVICTION – THE BAJAJ FAMILY MUST STAY!
Within hours of launching this appeal, dozens of emails and faxes were sent to the Immigration Minister and to the Director of Social Work at Glasgow City Council. Thanks to the efforts of supporters, the eviction has been called off - for now. A victory! the Bajaj family would like to thank everybody who has helped them. They were amazed at the support, and at the result.
But the campaign continues...
The Bajaj family campaign to stay in Scotland has only just begun. Please continue to email, fax and write to Tony McNulty (details below). We cannot allow the government to split up this family and send a vulnerable elderly couple back to Bush and Blair's warzone in Afghanistan. And please be ready to defend the family the next time the Sheriff's Officers come. That may be only 7 days from now. The campaign will be launched outside the family hone in Cardonald with a press call at 9am, Thursday 16th March.
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Original call-out:
Urgent call for help in Glasgow, Thursday 16th March
STOP THIS EVICTION – THE BAJAJ FAMILY MUST STAY!
Please come to stop the Sheriff’s Officers tomorrow, and support the Bajaj family to stay in Scotland.
On Thursday 16th March, 61 year old Afghan Sikh Mr Kartar Singh Bajaj, his 55 year old wife and two sons (aged 25 and 21) are due to be evicted from their flat in Cardonald, on the south side of Glasgow. Barred from working, housing, and state benefits - despite Mr Bajaj’s support needs as a disabled person - they are to be made homeless and completely destitute.
After four years in Glasgow, the Bajaj family has nowhere left to turn. They need your help to stay in their flat and to appeal for leave to remain in the UK.
Previous possession proceedings by the Council were dismissed in Court due to Mr Bajaj’s obvious support needs, but the council has appealed and seems determined to evict. Mr Bajaj has congenital kypho-scoliosis, an acute curvature of the spine. He has limited mobility and difficulty breathing. A Community Care Assessment was carried out in 2004, but has been withheld from Mr Bajaj. His lawyer has arranged for a new assessment, but it looks like the family will evicted before this can be carried out, despite the Council’s powers to postpone the eviction. So much for “Glasgow the Caring City”.
The Bajaj family still fears persecution in lawless Afghanistan, which they fled in 2001, after Mr Bajaj’s eldest son was driven from his business and then murdered by the Taliban. The Home Office has refused protection, arguing that Afghanistan is now safe for Sikhs to return, despite a recent announcement of an extra 6000 British troops being deployed as the situation in that country continues to deteriorate with increasing violence.
One of Mr Bajaj’s son’s was deported in December. They lost contact in early January, and now have no idea where he is, if he is safe or still alive. Mr Bajaj’s daughter was granted Exceptional Leave to Remain and now lives in London. His eldest surviving son is pursuing his own asylum appeal. While Afghanistan is unsafe the family cannot and will not sign their own removal papers and leave their children behind. This means they cannot apply for basic Section 4 “Hard Case” support from the Home Office.
Glasgow City Council has the power to stop this eviction, provide support to Mr Bajaj, and keep the family together while an asylum appeal is pursued. The Home Secretary has the power to grant the family Humanitarian Protection to stay together in the UK.
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP?
Stop the eviction.
There is an urgent need to keep this family off the streets. Please come and support the family throughout Thursday either coming to help delay the eviction if possible or to act as witnesses to the eviction. Address and directions below.
Appeal to the Council.
Please write to Glasgow City Council, to ask them to urgently carry out a Community Care Assessment and provide the support that Mr Bajaj needs, and to keep the family housed together while they appeal for Humanitarian Protection to stay in the country.
Write to:
David Comely
Director of Social Work
Nye Bevan House
20 India Street
Glasgow G2 4PF
email: David.Comley@sw.glasgow.gov.uk
Appeal to the Government.
Write/fax or email the Minister for Immigration and Asylum, Tony McNulty. Quote the Home Office Reference Number: B1107557
Ask the Minister to look urgently at this case, and to grant protection to the family.
Write to:
Tony McNulty, Immigration Minister
Home Office
3rd Floor, Peel Building
2 Marsham Street
London, SW1P 4DF
Fax: 020 7219 2417 from outside the UK + 44 20 7219 2417
Email: mcnultyt@parliament.uk
Please copy letters, faxes and emails to:
Bajaj Campaign
The Unity Centre
31 Ibrox Street
Glasgow G51 1SN
Email: noborders-glasgow@riseup.net
Mr Bajaj lives in Queensland Court, Cardonald. The nearest railway station
(from Central Station) is Cardonald and the court is only a short walk from
the station. Map:
www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?lat=55.852&lon=-4.343&scale=5000&icon=x
Please come along to spend an hour or longer if you can. We will be meeting
at the entrance of 5 Queensland Court from about 9am.
