Over 5,000 people on Sunday joined the ongoing protest against an administrative crackdown, prompted by a court order, on non-tribal homes on tribal land in Ranchi while local BJP leaders accused the district authorities of inept handling of the situation.
Residents of Yamuna Nagar, Ganga Nagar and other adjoining localities trooped to Swarna Jayanti Ground in Madhukam, a traditional BJP stronghold, prompting many in the party to call upon the state leadership to find an amicable solution to the problem that has the potential to snowball into a major crisis.
A large number of tribals, who had sold their land to non-tribals, and hundreds of BJP loyalists took part in the protest held under the banner of Ghar Bachao Samiti.
Some 1,000 non-tribal families, who found a leeway in the law to buy land and settle on 80 acres of tribal land in Harmu and Madhukam areas, are now facing eviction threat in the wake of the scheduled area regulation court’s recent order for restoration of the plots to original owners.
“On the one hand, this government is promising home to the homeless; on the other hand, it is driving out people of their homes. I am a BJP supporter. Will the BJP allow us to stay at the party office after the eviction?” asked Anil Prasad, a local resident who has been served a notice under provisions of the CNT Act that doesn’t allow non-tribals to purchase tribal land.
A section of BJP leaders, including state unit vice-presidents Sima Sharma and Deepak Prakash, rushed to the spot to placate protesters. “I spoke to chief minister Raghubar Das this (Sunday) morning, seeking his intervention. He expressed his displeasure over inept handling of the situation by the local administration. He is of the view that affected people were not given enough time to explore legal options,” Sharma said.
State urban development minister C.P. Singh, who spoke to Das on Saturday in this regard, said the chief minister had promised to do justice. “Nobody will be evicted from their homes. Some people are trying to create tension,” Singh said.
But, tribal land owners accused the BJP of fuelling unwarranted controversy. “Tribals and non-tribals live here peacefully. My family had sold a large plot to non-tribals. They are like our brothers and sisters. But, the administration is pressuring me to take back the land. Once we receive compensation and transfer land, it is not right to drive someone out,” said Gyani Oraon.
Jatru Oraon flayed the district administration for acting in haste. “The administration is sitting on genuine cases of land-grab and targeting commoners,” he said.
Deputy commissioner Manoj Kumar reiterated that if people, who were served notices, were dissatisfied, they could move court. “We are only following court order and the CNT Act in letter and spirit.”
