The Hindu : Other States / Rajasthan News : Give back our land, demand tribals

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jan 06, 2005

Other States

Other States - Rajasthan

Give back our land, demand tribals

By Our Special Correspondent

JAIPUR, JAN. 5. Dalits and tribals from southern Rajasthan, who reached here today on the completion of a 10-day-long march from Chittaurgarh, demanded that their land encroached upon and illegally occupied by the so-called higher castes be set free and restored to them in accordance with the provisions of the Tenancy Act.

Agricultural land measuring thousands of bighas belonging to Bheel tribals and Dalits in Chittaurgarh, Baran and Kota districts has been either transferred to the influential people of higher castes allegedly by subterfuge or declared as Government property by misuse of the legal provisions during the past two decades. The tribals claim that the provisions for restoration of land rights were hardly ever implemented.

About 400 people traversed a distance of 327 kilometres on foot in ten days to reach Jaipur today to highlight their plight and demanded at a "Jan Sunwai" (public hearing) that the illegal transfer of land owned by Scheduled Castes and Tribes be stopped forthwith and their land rights be restored.

Among others, noted social activist and member of the National Advisory Council, Aruna Roy, president of the Rajasthan unit of People's Union for Civil Liberties, Than Singh, and Brahmadev Sharma of Bharat Jan Andolan, addressed the Jan Sunwai and emphasised the need to protect the land title of tribals and Dalits.

A survey conducted by two non-Government organisations in Chittaurgarh district has revealed that 1,389-bigha agricultural land of 415 Bheel families in 92 villages is currently in the possession of higher castes through mortgage or transfer of title. The total value of the land has been estimated at Rs. 10 crores.

The participants in the Jan Sunwai pointed out that the revenue officials were misusing Section 175 of the Rajasthan Tenancy Act by referring the cases of dispute and encroachment on land to the Revenue Board, which in turn declares the disputed land as Government property. "The Tehsildars do not make any attempt to find out the truth regarding benami transactions or forged title deeds," said Gema Ram, a tribal.

On the other hand, the powers granted to tehsildars under Section 183-C of the Act - providing for summary proceedings for eviction of encroachers - are never exercised, depriving the weaker sections of their land rights. The tribals demanded that Sec. 175 be repealed and the revenue officials be directed to strictly implement Sec. 183-C.

A memorandum submitted by the Adivasi Bheel Parishad and Khetihar Khan Mazdoor Sangathan on behalf of tribals and Dalits to the Chief Minister, Vasundhara Raje, called for appointment of a high-level committee to review all cases of transfer of land "under coercion" and establishment of a fast-track court to decide these matters. It also sought protection of land rights of Bheel tribals and their inclusion in the below poverty line (BPL) category.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Other States

News Update

Stories in this Section

Rajasthan to open relief camps in Tamil Nadu

Give back our land, demand tribals