Dalit Panchayat Movement: Some good news from Tumkur once again!
Palash Biswas
Contact: Palash C Biswas, C/O Mrs Arati Roy, Gosto Kanan, Sodepur, Kolkata- 700110, India. Phone: 91-033-25659551
Email: palashbiswaskl@gmail.com
Please read,react,circulate and Write.Just Visit:
http://www.nandigramunited.blogspot.com/
West Bengal Left front Government executed Maraichjhanpi Massacre to protect Environment violating International and inland water laws. Just see:
On Line Video Petition against Marichjhanpi Genocide:
http://indiainteracts.com/videos/2008/02/07/Marichjhanpi-genocide/
Just read these documents:
morichjhanpi.blogspot.com
I have participated in Tumkur Peace Event thanks to Jyothi and Raj. In Tumkur, I saw an excellent experiment of Dalit Liberation with Women`s empowerment and internal governance amongst the indigenous communities there. I have been pleading that Dalit Panchayats may be replicated countrywide. I have talked friends and comrades countrywide. I am thankful to JK Reporter to publish a writeup on this topic. I also discussed the issue widely in Mulnivasi Bamcef National convention in Patna participated by twenty five thousand delegates from every corner of the country.This ideology of Dalit Liberation is somewhat different from ongoing North Indian dalit movement focused on personal charisma and Vote bank equation based Power sharing resultant in some political changes in North Indian States and a projection of a dalit Prime Minister and that is Mayawati. In contrast, the Tumkur experiment targets serous systematic changes in the system. Dalit panchayats are elected upto Dalit Parliament. These dalit panchayats are bases of sustainable peace in the region and even North East and Andhra Orissa Maoist area tribals are trying their best to replicate this Dalit Panchayat. You have perhaps gone through the Annual Reports of Dalit Reds on this site and elsewhere posted by me.
Dalit pachayat means total social revolution consisted of abolition of Untouchability, abolition of Bonded labour, Land reforms with returning the land to tillers only, accomplishment of schemes with active cooperation from local administration and government agencies. this may open avenues of dialogues in areas of struggle and strife. Nationality problems may be addressed thus with regional development and autonomy recognising and celebrating different community based nationalities with their identities intact and cultural dimensions exposed. It will also be to form nationwide forum for re alliance of black untouchable anti Brahmin, anti Zionist anti apartheid anti Manusmriti anti Capitalist anti imperialist forces worldwide. I am happy friends worldwide responded very positively.
In Bengal, Regimented ruling Hegemony is habitual of genocides like Nandigram and Marichjhanpi to implement the corporate MNC global agenda of Regress and Depopulation. The ruling Classes countrywide do eject out the indigenous people from their roots, environment, life, liberty and livelihood. Foreign territories are created countrywide with names like SEZ, Nuclear Plants, Big Dams, MCR, Chemical Hubs, Retail chain while the constitution of India is being killed everyday. The comradors are ruling and princely sates and Zamindaries are intact. Vote Politics may not do any good to the suffering people. Because Power of Dominance as well as Power of Resistance, the Ruling parties and the opposition and all colorful ideologies left and right including Marxism , socialism, Gandhism, Ambedkarism and Hindutva do contribute to make a sound and solid post modern Galaxy Manusmriti Imperialism.
Tumkur experiment is based on participation power of enslaved majority, it focuses to change the majoritirian electoral system, internal governance, job mobilisation, democratic norms, indigenous culture and traditions and finally autonomy. We may sustain Power only with the internal strength of our indigenous communities, not with personal Charisma, clubbing of minority castes and communities and demographic rearrangement.
I am happy that the Tumkur Experiment is escalated in Karnatak and south India. Orissa is also effected. In Bengal, the heritage of Buddhism, Pal dynasty, subaltern literature and traditions, Matua dharma, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Jaideb, Lalan Fakir and Bauls, the ground is more than ready. A social political initiative is needed as it happened during Colonial rule while Bengal became the centre stage of National Dalit Movement along with Punjab and Maharashtra.
Well. The progress is slow but nevertheless steady enough.
And here you are !
Some good news from Tumkur once again!
Friends
Our joy finds no bounds. This is one of the single most achievements in the history of REDS and Dalit Panchayat Movement. Actually there are two achievements. We shall tell you one by one. These are times when all of us are busy preparing for the distribution of 300,000 solar lamps to the whole of Tumkur District under the Clean Development Mechanism Project. That means that our Dalit Panchayats are on top gear. But these two stories are about our land.
1. Pavagada: Actually this started as a very simple and harmless request for a site in Pavagada Town for the Taluk Dalit Pancyhayat. The Pavagada Town Panchayat sanctioned the site for us. However, when we looked for the site it was not there. It was then a pandora’s box was opened. We found that the site sanctioned to us was already occupied by powerful land sharks of the town. We did not want to take things lying down. When we started digging up the documents we found that in addition to our site the sharks had swallowed about two acres of government land in the heart of the town. Of course such a thing could not have happened without the complexity of government officers. Our mission was further complicated and our determination was strengthened. It was a long and intensive struggle to get back all the land from the very powerful forces of the town. They are also simultaneously very powerful politicians. It is unimaginable that we could take up this case. We filed an official complaint in the name of the Booshakthi Kendra. The officers were shocked at the involvement of the Booshakthi Kendra. We have the services of Rangaiah, our Land specialist and Narayanappa, our Pavagada DP Leader. The Powerful and the Rich tried their level best and all that they usually do with our leaders and our officers. But nothing worked. Ultimately, orders have been given to the Assistant commissioner to do all that needs to be done legally. This means that the demolition of all the illegal constructions will start soon and the land will go back to the government. With that we shall also get our site.
What is the value of the land? Hold your breath! It is more than 50 million rupees. In Indian parlance it is more than 5 crores. We are aware that things are not going to end here. They will surely ask for our blood. But then we are prepared as usual.
2. Turuvekere: The second one is comparatively smaller. But the gains are equal. The village is Obbenagasandra in Dabbegatta Hobli of Turuvekere Taluk. The land in question is 5 acres, 4.39 to be exact. This land was sanctioned to Dalit Beluraiah in the year 1938. However, the dominant caste fellows managed to grab this land from Beluraiah through an agreement and forged ownership documents in their name. In the year 1994 a Dalit in the village, Ganganna took the courage to take the case to the court under the PTCL Act. (Prevention of Transfer of Certain Land). In the year 2003 the AC court ordered that the land could not be transferred and should be returned to Beluraiah. The caste fellows went on appeal in the DC court. A Dalit Panchayat was formed in this village in 2006 when we actually started work newly in this taluk. Things were handed over to the Dalit Panchayat as Beluraiah was getting more and more disillusioned. With Rangaiah being set in motion to take up the issue things started moving faster. On 21 January 2008 the DC court passed the order to return the land to the Dalits. We have already gained possession of half of the land. We shall soon get hold of the rest of the land. This is a very difficult thing. The land in the meantime has high yielding coconut trees. This is the price the oppressors have to pay for their injustice and exploitation.
3. CDM Project: Our CDM Project is also making good progress. We have managed to get the approval of the government of India, validation is over and we have the report in our hands, we have obtained no objection certificate from the government of Karnataka, the survey and data feeding is over, monitoring plans are in place, negotiations for the price of lamps are going on and simultaneously we are also negotiating possible ERPA with some; big companies in order to facilitate upfront payment to purchase the lamps. It is round the clock work for many of us. We are enjoying it thoroughly. We are also part of the Fair Climate network now. We need to send the documents for UN registration. Since things are working out according to our plans there is all the reason for us to celebrate.
We have always believed that the assertion of strength is much more effective than crying over our pain and poverty. This approach has helped us to move forward fearlessly with our people. Their gains are enormous. Their dignity in our District is tremendous amidst all the struggles. We enjoy our struggles as by now success has become a habit for our people.
Warm regards
Jyothi, Raj, REDS and Dalit Panchayat Movement
Rural Education for Development society
Shanthinagar
Tumkur 572102
Karnataka - India
Phone: ++91-816-2277026
Fax: ++91-816-2272515
Web: www.dalitreds.in
Jyothi's Mobile: ++91-9880184667
Raj's Mobile: ++91-9845144893
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