Rally highlights landless tribals' plight; govt. announces land reforms council

Government of India last week responded to the plea of more than 20,000 rural poor and landless people, including the Dalits, who went on a "Janadesh March" to press their demands.

The Govt. responded by announcing the setting of National Land Reforms Council headed by the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The council will be assisted by a committee on ‘State Agrarian Relations and Unfinished Task in Land Reforms’ to be headed by Union Rural Development Minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh. It will further include mavens from related specialties and fields, who can suggest and assist the Govt. in any form.

Commenting on its goals, a government official said, “The committee will strive to solve the issues of land reform, distribution of ceiling surplus land and wasteland, tenancy, right to the tiller and setting up of fast track courts in a time–bound manner.”

Over 20,000 people from 15 states marched into the capital last Sunday demanding land rights for the displaced and the landless. Among them were about 200 foreign nationals from over 30 countries.

The marchers walked 340 kms from Gwalior to Delhi for 26 days led by P V Rajagopal, the founder of Ekta Parishad. It later demanded in setting up a National Land Authority, fast–track courts and a single window system to deal with land and livelihood disputes.

The march was supported by agencies such as Oxfam, Christian Aid and Concern Worldwide, Ekta–Europe, Solidari’te etc.

The plights of poor people, particularly the Dalits and Tribals have only got worsened this year. Constituting nearly 40% of the population of Orissa, Dalits and Tribals are politically marginalised, only appearing on the government's agenda at election time.

Due to the Govt. bureaucracy not recognizing land rights of the poor, its policies cause them to be evicted or persecuted in order to make way for multinational corporations or wildlife sanctuaries and forest reserves.