Farmers bodies resolve to fight forced land acquisition

Representatives of various peasant unions, farmers' organisations and people's movements, under the banner of Bhumi Adhikar Andolan, today decided on a comprehensive agenda to achieve land rights and fight forced land acquisition, agrarian crisis and fascist politics.
The Bhumi Adhikar Andolan (BAA) resolved to strengthen the struggle at the state-level and outlined detailed resolutions tackling the major problems of forced land acquisition, fascist repression, agrarian distress, food security and livelihood security.
Ulka Mahajan of Sarvahara Jan Andolan, Maharashtra questioned the government's development policies involving acquisition of large tracts of cultivable land.
"There is no planning for the rural population of the country. Where will all those displaced by land acquisition for mega projects like the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor go? Why is there no democratic discussion or Parliament attention on such important matters?

"Bhumi Adhikar Andolan is not just a struggle to save land but also to save environment, the rights of agricultural labourers and workers, and most importantly to save our democracy," Mahajan said.
"Rights of people are being crushed for corporate profit. Bhumi Adhikar Andolan will take up problems faced by the country's toiling masses today - the farmer, dalit and the adivasi. BAA stands in solidarity with struggles against forced land acquisition and extends support to activists facing repression for demanding people's rights.

"Systematic divisive politics are being used to divide the poor and we will oppose this by broadening the alliance especially at the state-level," said Hannan Mollah of All India Kisan Sabha (Canning Lane).

BAA will hold a 'Chetavani Rally' and observe 'Forest Rights Day' at Sansad Marg on December 15, claiming that the NDA government, under pressure from corporates, has not completely given up on the Land Bill which is with the Joint Committee of Parliament.
It strongly condemned the NDA's attempts of forcible land acquisition leading to unprecedented displacement of the most vulnerable populations. The alliance conveyed its strong rejection of mega projects such as industrial corridors, SEZs, manufacturing zones and land pooling schemes for establishing capitals, calling these "nothing but corporate land grab under the guise of development".