People's Democracy

Struggle For Justice

Experiences With Land Movement In AP

Participating in the land struggle at Narne Estates, Hyderabad

V Srinivasa Rao

THE State brutality in Andhra Pradesh that led to the killing of seven peaceful agitators and leaving many wounded has not stopped the people agitating for the just cause, but has inspired them for a more bitter and prolonged struggle. It appeared as if the government expected the movement to be crushed with its severe brutality and repressive measures.

However, contrary to that the struggle is surging ahead with the growing participation of the masses and its extension to new centres across the state. The martyrdom of their comrades in this struggle has inspired the masses and made them more determined to the cause. Countering the repressive measures and facing the police have become the order of the day. The rank and file of the Party is participating in the movement and leading the struggles. The ground is being set for the national leadership to participate in these struggles in the near future.

I participated in the struggle at different centres from August 30 to September 4, 2007. Considering the nature of the issues on which the struggle is going on and the government’s response to the same, the real face of the government and its arrogance has been exposed.

On August 30, I participated in the land struggle at Narne Estates in Bibi Nagar of Nalgonda district. Narne Estates is prominently known to the people as ‘East City’ located on either sides of the railway track on the way to Kazipet junction from Hyderabad. This estate extends to an area of thousands of acres within proximity of 30 km to the state capital. This land was purchased twenty years back from the farmers at a throw away price and its cost now is in crores. Eight hundred acres of it is the bhoodan and government land and has been illegally occupied. It may be recalled that Vinobha Bhave had started the bhoodan yagna under the auspices of the then Congress leadership to counter the legendary Telangana armed struggle between 1948-51. A few landlords donated these lands during that period, which was taken by the bhoodan board and a few farmers were given pattas. The sale and purchase of these lands is illegal and purchase is a crime. These lands have been illegally occupied by Narne Estates. The farmers seeking the possession of their land went to the court and won the case in the Supreme Court also. As a sequel to it the district collector announced that these lands were being taken over by the government. But in reality the government did not take over the land even after three years. Taking this as an advantage, Narne Estates went to the court stating that the government had no right over the land. The issue of whether these lands should be handed over to the government or the bhoodan board is still pending in the court. Under the pretext of this case, Narne Estates is illegally exercising its control over the land. In the land struggle, five thousand poor people occupied these lands and erected their huts. These huts were later forcibly demolished by the police. Again on August 30, people prepared themselves to reoccupy the land. To stop the occupation, the police resorted to imposing Section 144 in the entire mandal and created a tense situation. There was a campaign by the agents of this firm about the possibility of a police firing, if people went to occupy the lands. There was a high amount of pressure put up on the agitators by the local heads and village sarpanchs and hundreds of police were guarding the site. These repressive measures could not stop the people; hundreds of them participated in the land occupation. All the participants are landless agriculture labourers and daily wage workers in the industries nearby. Police stopped the people from entering the site which resulted in a tussle between the police and the people. The masses questioned the police and the revenue officers on the constitutional provision through which they were acting on behalf of the Narne Estates, but they had no answers and resorted to arrests.

STRUGGLE IN PRAKASAM DIST

Endowment land was occupied on August 31, 2007 in Nagulapalem of Parchuru mandal in Prakasam district. Despite heavy rain, hundreds of poor people marched with Red flags to occupy the ten acres of land for house sites. The tahsildar of the area rushed to the spot and made a promise to take the issue to the notice of the district collector. He assured that the land will not be auctioned but will be given to the poor for housing sites. After two days, I came to know that police were brought in large numbers and demolished the huts erected. People gathered in large numbers near the police station and surrounded it demanding the release of their arrested leaders. The police was forced to release them. The people again went and occupied the lands and erected their huts.

On September 1, 2007 in Vemulapadu village of Hanumantunipadu mandal, we occupied agricultural land. A landlord of the village took 200 acres into possession under benami names and has been in control over it. The landlord manipulated and cheated the poor people and under the pretext of pension applications, he made them sign on the ownership transfer documents. This issue came into light during this land struggle. Fortunately, on the pass books of few farmers, the survey number of the land has been recorded. The people asked the collector to give their lands back. After the failure on all fronts, the peasants and the poor resorted to land occupation. This landlord who is a relative of the local MLA mobilised his henchmen and kin to stop the struggle. In spite of all these pressures, people not caring for their lives, occupied the lands. Knowing this the tahsildar came along with the police and promised to give back lands after conducting a survey. The happiness of the poor was visible in their eyes with their first victory over land.

IN MEDAK DISTRICT

On September 2, I participated in land struggle in Mandapur village of Kondapur mandal of Medak district. People in large numbers occupied 40 acres of agricultural land owned by the government. Under the auspices of the local MLA, a few landlords were conspiring to change this into temple land and take possession of it. Their conspiracy was put to a halt with the poor people occupying it and clearing the bushes and tilling it. On the same day, I visited few more areas where people occupied lands for house sites and addressed them. In Siripuram and Kasala villages of Hatnoora mandal, the landlord usurped the assigned land. The people occupying these lands and started to live in the huts since the last three months. Police resorted to the demolition of the huts at an odd hour. The Party leaders of the area who protested this were arrested. Knowing this, I went to the village to express solidarity. The fighting spirit to get back the land was visible among the people.

IN MAHBOOBNAGAR DISTRICT

On September 3, poor people occupied land for housing sites in the Potulamadugu village of Boothpoor mandal in Mahaboobnagar district. The former member of parliament occupied five and half acres of the assigned land and built a compound wall around it, that too with MP LADS money! Poor people occupied the lands and cleared the shrubs and bushes and erected the huts. The police later arrested the Party leadership and produced them in court. On the same day in Dasupalli village of Telkapally mandal, the poor occupied the endowment lands. Six acres of the endowment land which was earlier in the possession of the poor has been taken over by the landlords in the recent years. The poor occupied the lands and tilled them. The local tahsildar came along with the police. On the same day a dalit passed away in the village and there was no burial ground available in the village for the dalits. After the people questioned the authorities, the tahsildar promised to send the proposals for the burial ground within two days. When the people insisted on the issuing of pattas for the endowment land, the police resorted to arrests. The people gathered in large number around the police station which led to the release of the arrested immediately.

On September 4, in Allipuram village of Bogolu mandal in Nellore district, people occupied surplus agriculture lands. These surplus lands were taken over by the government 30 years back, which is now in possession of a landlord who has grabbed 100 acres of this land. While people started occupying the land, the tahsildar came along with the police and promised to make a survey and assign the land to the poor in fifteen days. In Nellore town, I addressed a meeting at the lands occupied by the people for house sites. These lands belong to Nellore Thermal Station (state public enterprise) which has been closed. The government is planning to sell away these lands through auction. There are considerable sections of vested interest groups under the auspices of the ruling party who are planning to take over these lands at a throwaway price. The poor are determined to fight till they get these lands.

The whole experience shows how people are determined to achieve the lands for cultivation and house-sites. They are not taken in by the huge publicity exercise of government’s claims of distributing lands and construction of houses.

ROLE OF WOMEN

Whereever we went, women in large numbers participated in the movement and played a fantastic role. Women with infants in their arms also are participating in this struggle and are resisting the police repression bravely. They are guarding the lands and house sites occupied, even in the nights also. Notwithstanding the pressures and false promises of the ruling party, women are participating actively in the movement.

EMERGING LEADERSHIP

This struggle has produced many leaders. People have learned to question the authorities and make demands asserting their rights. Not waiting for the top leadership to arrive, they are organising themselves and conducting the struggles. They have trained themselves and are now used to giving speeches in the meetings and slogans in the rallies. They are raising donations for meeting the requirements of the movement. The malicious campaign unleashed by the government and the ruling party is being effectively countered by the agitating people.

USING THE LAWS AND ACTS AS A WEAPON FOR STRUGGLE

The laws which have been brought by the government to create illusions and pacify the people today have become instruments in the ongoing struggles. The Koneru Ranga Rao committee report which was deliberately suppressed by the government was brought into limelight during this struggle. Land Ceiling Acts both agriculture and urban, Assignment Act 1977, Homestead Act, Tribal Acts etc have now become instruments of the people during this struggle. Right to Information Act is also becoming a weapon. Contrary to the government propaganda, no private lands are being occupied. The people are occupying the lands only after proper identification and with documentary proof.

People have started realising that the government is not implementing the Acts which have been made by it. What the poor are asking for is not any radical laws but only implementation of existing laws. On the other hand the Acts that have been introduced to protect the lands of the rich have been implemented with great vigour. People have started to realise the difference in the attitude of the government towards the poor and the rich. That is why the Left parties have demanded constitution of a land commission to oversee the implementation of land reforms. In the course of this struggle the political maturity of the masses is increasing.

A new development in the recent period is that most of the lands are purchased legally or illegally by big corporate sector, land mafias and ruling party cronies. With full support from state, this land concentration is leading to modern zamindars.

The booming rise of the real estate due to globalisation effect, has pushed the urban middle class to a state where they can’t purchase even a small piece of land. Earlier, these were the sections who kept themselves away and opposed land struggles. The same are now extending their solidarity and sympathising with the struggle. This struggle has brought the urban land policy to the forefront. People are opposing the indiscriminate allocation of the government lands to big corporate companies and real estate vendors. CPI(M) demands that there should be a proper urban land policy so that poor and the middle classes of the society get these lands for residential purpose.

As a whole this movement has set the land issue as an agenda on which all political parties today are forced to respond. This movement is helping the masses to understand the nature of various political parties and organisations. The government’s retreat from the talks and its dilly-dallying tactics is resulting in the growth of dissent on the government.