Dalit, Adivasi protest in Jharkhand against 'illegal' transfer of land for development

By Rishit Neogi
Displacement and eviction are not new terms. It is surprising that they are still continuing and have become a tool in the hands of state backed corporates to forcibly occupy lands in the name of development.
The Harijan Basti of Sukurhutu village in Kanke block, Ranchi district, was inhabited by 76 Dalit families who were allotted 4 acres 68 decimals land by the Bihar government in 1982. According to Lagnu Mahato, Magul Nayak and Sukhdev Kumhar Mahato of Sukurhutu, many families were forced to flee the area due to riots in 1986, though quite a few families are still residing in the area, doing daily labour jobs like plumbing, carpentering, etc. to sustain themselves.
Since 2012, what are described as “local conspirators” are alleged to have illegally occupied 2 acre 68 decimal of the land and began selling it in cohorts with the district administration by using fake certificates. After grabbing the community land, the land grabbers reportedly also started plotting on how to take over the whole land plot of 4 acres 68 decimals in the name of some development scheme.
Since locals are aware of the designs, they apprised about it to the civil rights organization Adivasi Adhikar Manch, Ranchi (AAM) and the Adivasi Adhikar Manch, Kanke, which organized a marched to the Kanke block office on November 5. In fact, local people were trying to seek legal redressal of their issue for long, but, according to them, they are being given false assurances. On the other hand, they says, they have been receiving threats that they will be evicted.

Under the national urban policy, such lands inhabited by communities should be developed only with their participation. As far as possible, any redevelopment can only take place by rehabilitating them on the same site or location by upgrading their houses, sanitation, drinking water, electricity etc. amenities. It is the state’s imperative to legalize and regularize possession of land in urban areas inhabited by people of marginalized and impoverished families or households.

A protest dharna was held at the Kanke block office. It was addressed, among others, by Aloka Kujur (AAM. Ranchi), Aparna Bara (AAM. Kanke), Niraj Bhokta (Congress), Vinod Sahu (Other Backward Classes Morcha, Congress), Kundrasiya Munda (Bhartiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad, Ranchi), and Surendra Linda (educationist).
Ward members Mukul Nayak, Sukhdev, Dasrath Munda and others from the community submitted a memorandum to the Block Development Officer (BDO) with the following demands:

Cancel the Ranchi Masterplan 2037 that threatens eviction and displacement of urban poor.
Cancel the Farm Bills 2020.
Cancel the Essential Commodities Bill 2020.
Plot No. 6373 in Sukurhutu should be restored to its rightful owners i.e. the community.
Release social activists like Stan Swamy arrested under draconian Acts like Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
Ensure safety and security of women in India.
Cancel Jharkhand Land Mutation Act 2020.

Comments

Modi’s Israel visit strengthened Pakistan’s hand in US–Iran truce: Ex-Indian diplomat

By Jag Jivan M. K. Bhadrakumar , a career diplomat with three decades of service in postings across the former Soviet Union, Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Germany, and Turkey, has warned that the current truce in the US–Iran war is “fragile and ridden with contradictions.” Writing in his blog India Punchline , Bhadrakumar argues that while Pakistan has emerged as a surprising broker of dialogue, the durability of the ceasefire remains uncertain.

Incarceration of Prof Saibaba 'revives' the question: What is crime, who is criminal?

By Kunal Pant* In 2016, a Supreme Court Judge asked the state of Maharashtra, “Do you want to extract a pound of flesh?” The statement was directed against the state for contesting the bail plea of Delhi University Professor GN Saibaba. Saibaba was arrested in 2014, a justification for which was to prevent him from committing what the police called “anti-national activities.”

Why Indo-Pak relations have been on 'knife’s edge' , hostilities may remain for long

By Utkarsh Bajpai* The past few decades have seen strides being made in all aspects of life – from sticks and stones to weaponry. The extreme case of this phenomenon has been nuclear weapons. The menace caused by nuclear weapons in the past is unforgettable. Images of Hiroshima and Nagasaki from 1945 come to mind, after the United States dropped two atomic bombs on the cities.

Manufacturing, services: India's low-skill, middle-skill labour remains underemployed

By Francis Kuriakose* The Indian economy was in a state of deceleration well before Covid-19 made its impact in early 2020. This can be inferred from the declining trends of four important macroeconomic variables that indicate the health of the economy in the last quarter of 2019.

Food security? Gujarat govt puts more than 5 lakh ration cards in the 'silent' category

By Pankti Jog* A new statistical report uploaded by the Gujarat government on the national food security portal shows that ensuring food security for the marginalized community is still not a priority of the state. The statistical report, uploaded on December 24, highlights many weaknesses in implementing the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in state.

The soundtrack of resistance: How 'Sada Sada Ya Nabi' is fueling the Iran war

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* The Persian track “ Sada Sada Ya Nabi ye ” by Hossein Sotoodeh has taken the world by storm. This viral media has cut across linguistic barriers to achieve cult status, reaching over 10 million views. The electrifying music and passionate rendition by the Iranian singer have resonated across the globe, particularly as the high-intensity military conflict involving Iran entered its second month in March 2026.

Lata Mangeshkar, a Dalit from Devdasi family, 'refused to sing a song' about Ambedkar

By Pramod Ranjan* An artist is known and respected for her art. But she is equally, or even more so known and respected for her social concerns. An artist's social concerns or in other words, her worldview, give a direction and purpose to her art. History remembers only such artists whose social concerns are deep, reasoned and of durable importance. Lata Mangeshkar (28 September 1929 – 6 February 2022) was a celebrated playback singer of the Hindi film industry. She was the uncrowned queen of Indian music for over seven decades. Her popularity was unmatched. Her songs were heard and admired not only in India but also in Pakistan, Bangladesh and many other South Asian countries. In this article, we will focus on her social concerns. Lata lived for 92 long years. Music ran in her blood. Her father also belonged to the world of music. Her two sisters, Asha Bhonsle and Usha Mangeshkar, are well-known singers. Lata might have been born in Indore but the blood of a famous Devdasi family...

'Batteries now cheap enough for solar to meet India's 90% demand': Expert quotes Ember study

By A Representative Shankar Sharma, Power & Climate Policy Analyst, has urged India’s top policymakers to reconsider the financial and ecological implications of the country’s energy transition strategy in light of recent global developments. In a letter dated April 10, 2026, addressed to the Union Ministers of Finance, Power, New & Renewable Energy, Environment, Forest & Climate Change, and the Vice Chair of NITI Aayog, with a copy to the Prime Minister, Sharma highlighted concerns over India’s ambitious plans for coal gasification and the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR).

Health Day ads spark row as NAPi targets Britannia campaign, criticizes celebrity endorsement

By A Representative The advocacy group Nutrition Advocacy in Public Interest (NAPi) has raised concerns over what it describes as misleading advertising of ultra-processed food products (UPFs), particularly those high in sugar, fat and salt, calling for stricter regulations and an end to such promotions across media platforms.

Search This Blog