New Delhi, October 28
The national capital today played host to the marathon of the deprived and dispossessed.
In an unprecedented campaign for restoring land to displaced persons due to industrial and other developmental projects, nearly 25,000 persons entered Delhi from the Badarpur side.
Displaced farmers - Dalits and Adivasis - carrying all their worldly possessions, made their way through Delhi roads to reach the Ramlila ground, demanding their right to land, livelihood and dignity.
Agitating under the banner of Janadesh 2007, tribals and Dalits are demanding rights over ‘jal, jungle aur zameen (water, forests and land).
The rally was organised by the Ekta Parishad, a grassroots organisation which has been working in the country for the past three decades to ensure poor people’s access to livelihood resources.
The walkathon started from Gwalior on October 2 and entered Delhi after completing nearly 340 km in 27 days. Under threat from SEZs, industrial hubs and development, their demands include setting up of national land authority, fast-track courts and single window system to deal with land and livelihood disputes.
These non-violent campaigners want the government to establish the National Land Commission to formulate land policies, provide direction to state governments and monitor progress on land distribution and entitlement by state governments.
They now plan to stage a march to Parliament tomorrow to sit on a protest. “What is our future? We do not have food, land or water. We do not have a roof over our heads. We have come to Delhi to get all these," says Lakhi Ram from Jharkhand.
Ekta Parishad founder P.V. Rajgopal calls it an initiative to bring land reforms to a centre-stage in rural development policies. “We want a land policy which takes into account the needs of the poor."
The rally included protesters from several states, including Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Also among campaigners were hundreds of women. Around 200 foreigners from 30 countries are also taking part in the rally, lending support to the cause of tribals, Adivasis and landless workers.
