The Hindu : Other States / Madhya Pradesh News : Threat to intensify struggle for land rights

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Thursday, Sep 30, 2004

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Threat to intensify struggle for land rights

By Our Staff Correspondent

BHOPAL, SEPT. 29. The Gandhian activist and Ekta Parishad leader, P.V. Rajgopal, today announced that their struggle for land and rights of the indigenous people would be intensified. He issued an ultimatum to the Madhya Pradesh Government saying that it should honour the rights of the Adivasis and Dalits over land within a fixed time frame.

Mr. Rajgopal was addressing a rally of Adivasis and Dalits at the busy Roshanpura square here. He described the rally as a big success by pointing out that it had the support of leaders cutting across party lines. He said the tribals who had gathered today had the option to stay back and press for their demands. However, he advised them to return to their villages and intensify their struggle.

Mr. Rajgopal said that all political parties should come forward to restore the honour of the tribals and protect their rights over land, water and forest. He also made an appeal to the Adivasis and Dalits to remain united.

He said: "We are here to issue a warning to the State Government. If it fails to restore land back to the adivasis in the next three or four months, we will return to the State Capital in large numbers with our cattle and other belongings to put pressure on the city dwellers to join our cause."

The Samajwadi Party MLA, K.K. Singh, the Bahujan Samaj Party MLA, Lakhan Singh, the Gondwana Gantantra Party MLA, Manmohan Singh Batti, the senior Congress leader, Aziz Quereshi, Ekta Parishad's Jill Carr-Harris and P.T. John of the Adivasi Solidarity Council were among those who addressed the rally.

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