After eviction notice, Sheroes Hangout stares at shutdown

LUCKNOW: Two years ago when Farah had joined Sheroes Hangout Cafe she had hoped that the job would help her forget the painful memories of the acid attack by her adulterous husband that had left her scarred for life.
The small cafe opposite Ambedkar Memorial Park had been a favourite of people on the lookout for a quite place to grab a meal. Run by acid attack survivors, the joint had offered the women hope that they, too, could be empowered.

Two years later, Farah and other acid attack survivors working at the Gomtinagar-based cafe are now struggling to come to terms with the fact that their cafe may be shut down.

It all started in March 2018, when the cafe's two-year lease ended and the government floated a public tender, inviting bids to take over the space.

Chhanv Foundation, the organisation running the cafe, then objected to the tender questioning its validity in the absence of the state monitoring committee, which was to be formed in 2016 when the MoU between the government and foundation was signed.

The committee was to oversee the cafe's management. After the Chhanv Foundation's intervention, the committee was formed and met on September 6 and decided that there was no justification in running the cafe any longer after the lease ended.

On September 22, the state women welfare department sent a notice to the cafe intimating the foundation of the panel's decision and asked it to vacate the premises by September 29.

However, the notice said that the survivors can continue to reside free of cost at a government hostel and would be trained in a skill of their interest.

"This was inhuman and the department's attitude is dictatorial. We were only given a day's time to attend the September meeting of the committee, which only shows that the government does not want us to keep our side forward," said Ashish, in charge of Sheroes Hangout Cafe.

"The government has alleged that there are financial irregularities in running the cafe, but we are open to a scrutiny of our accounts and the government should also show us a record of their expenses," he added.

The foundation challenged the notice before the Lucknow bench of Allahabad high court.

The advocate representing Sheroes Hangout Cafe, Aman Khan, said, "We sought the court's intervention and the bench agreed that three days' time was too less. It then directed that the cafe should be vacated within three weeks' time i.e. by October 22." UP cabinet minister for women and family welfare, Rita Bahuguna Joshi, said, "As the foundation has gone to court, I am not sure how this matter will move forward. We would ensure that the acid attack survivors' future is not jeopardised."