Gujarat govt rejects farmers' plea to return 566 sq km land "reserved" for Ahmedabad urbanization, to protest on Sept 8

Nitin Patel

By Our Representative
The Gujarat government has rejected the demand of the agitating farmers of 68 villages, seeking to cancel the crucial 2009 notification, which has allegedly reserved 566.35 sq km of agricultural area in the outskirts of Ahmedabad for urban development.
Gujarat's deputy chief minister Nitin Patel, rejecting the demand, told their representatives that they were being instigated by the Congress for electoral gains in view of the upcoming Gujarat state assembly elections scheduled for December.
Farmers' representatives belonging to several non-political organizations, including the Khedut Samaj Gujarat and the OBC-Dalit Ekta Manch, met Patel, who had called them to Sachivalaya on Tuesday.
Deepsinh Thakore, who was one of the leading participants, said, "The deputy chief minister used abusive language for our leaders, telling us that we were being misguided by them, calling them all Congress agents. He went so far as to use casteist language."
While top leaders of the two organizations, Sagar Rabari and Alpesh Thakore, did not go to meet the deputy chief minister, representatives of farmers belonging to individual villages, including sarpanches, some of them belonging to the BJP, were called to discuss the tangled issue, agitating them for the last few years.
A letter handed over by the farmers' representatives to the deputy chief minister, addressed to chief minister Vijay Rupani, said that despite the lapse of eight years, the Gujarat government has done "nothing" for the urban development of the region, even as taking away the farmers' right over their land.
"Even the Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (AUDA) has recognised that till 2021, looking to the density of population of the area, just about 84 sq km area would be needed for urban development. Hence it is difficult to understand as to why the state government wants to transfer 566.35 sq km of farmers' land for urban development", the letter reads.
Talking with newsperons, Sagar Rabari said, "Under the 2009 notification, the farmers would have to part with 40% of their agricultural land for urban development. Further, 90% of the common village land would would be reserved for AUDA."
He added, "Worse, farmers have been deprived of freely selling their land for non-agricultural purposes. These restrictions have made farmers angry. They have decided to take out a tractor rally to Gandhinagar on September 8 starting from the outskirts of Ahmedabad. We have sought permission, but the rally will be held, even if the permission is not given."
Alpesh Thakore, about whom rumours have been floating around that he may join BJP, said, "We will not tolerate the abusive language used by the deputy chief minister. He must apologize for this. It seems he is frustrated, he wouldn't win from his constituency during the coming polls. We hope the chief minister takes a more balanced view."
Asked whether he was planning to join BJP, Thakore, who claims to have considerable following among the numerically strong OBC Thakore community, said, "Lots of rumours are floating around. My doors are open. You will get an answer to this question shortly."

Comments

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah* The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual.

Clive Lloyd legacy reminds us of the golden era that reshaped cricket

By Harsh Thakor* As August 31 marked the 80th birthday of cricketing icon Clive Lloyd, it also heralds the impending 50th anniversary of his ascension to the captaincy of the West Indies team. Under his leadership, a collection of extraordinary talents coalesced to create one of the most formidable teams in cricket history. The roots of West Indian cricket dominance trace back to a colonial past.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

RG Kar saga: Towards liberation from the constraints of rigid political parties?

By Atanu Roy* There's a saying: "There is no such thing as a half-pregnancy." This adage seems particularly relevant when discussing the current regime of the Trinamool Congress (TMC). The party appears to be entrenched in widespread corruption that affects nearly every aspect of our lives. One must wonder, why would they exclude the health sector—a lucrative area where illicit money can flow freely, thanks to a network of corrupt leaders colluding with ambitious bureaucrats?

Narmada valley again facing flood disaster, exacerbated by Sardar Sarovar dam 'mismanagement'

By Our Representative The environmental advocacy group South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP) has issued a warning , supported by detailed diagrams, that the Sardar Sarovar Dam (SSD) is at risk of causing flash floods in the Narmada Valley this year, similar to incidents that occurred last year.

Damaging signal sent to various levels of judiciary? Modi at religious function at CJI's residence

Counterview Desk The civil rights group, National Alliance for Justice, Accountability and Rights (NAJAR), has expressed its "grave concern" over the Prime Minister’s recent presence at a religious event at the Chief Justice of India's residence, underlining, "Independence of Judiciary from Executive must be ensured in all circumstances".

Unwavering source of ideological inspiration in politics, life: Personal tribute to Yechury

By Bhabani Shankar Nayak Sitaram Yechury was everyone's comrade. He lived his life in public like an open book of praxis. Everyone was familiar with his family background, student life, many talents, achievements, and political journey that defines his everyday life as a committed communist.

Trailblazer in literary innovation, critic of Indian mythology, including Ramayana

By Harsh Thakor* Ranganayakamma, commonly known as RN, stands out as a transformative figure in promoting Marxist thought, democratic ideals, and anti-caste principles through her remarkably clear and engaging writing style. A trailblazer in literary innovation, her works span a broad array of topics, from critiques of Indian mythology and revivalism to discussions on civil liberties, the Indian Communist Movement, and Maoism in China.

'Void in Leftist landscape': Loss of Sitaram Yechury who had helped form INDIA bloc

By Vikas Meshram* The passing of Sitaram Yechury has cast a profound stillness over leftist organizations across India. Renowned as a distinguished politician, columnist, economist, and social activist, Yechury was a staunch advocate for student rights and movements. His leadership skills became apparent early in his academic career, as he was elected three times as the president of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). Yechury also endured imprisonment during the Emergency period, underscoring his commitment to political activism.

Search This Blog