Congress MLA Jignesh Mevani Raises Alarm Over Undelivered Land Allotments in Gujarat
In a significant address during the Gujarat Legislative Assembly session on Tuesday, Congress working president and Vadgam MLA Jignesh Mevani brought to light a pressing issue concerning land rights for marginalized communities. He asserted that a staggering 20,000 acres of land, officially allocated to Dalits, Other Backward Classes (OBCs), and tribal populations across the state, has not yet been handed over to them, despite years of promises and legal provisions.
Decades of Inaction and Encroachment Cases Highlighted
Mevani made these remarks while participating in a discussion on the Saurashtra Gharkhed, Tenancy Settlement and Agricultural Lands (Gujarat Amendment) Bill. He provided a detailed example from Surendranagar district, where Dalit farm labourers have been writing to authorities for over 15 years about illegal encroachments on their 7,500 acres of land. According to Mevani, no substantive action has been taken by the government to address these grievances, leaving the allottees in a state of limbo and deprivation.
"I have raised this critical issue multiple times over the past eight years in this assembly," Mevani emphasized. "The government must commit to resolving this matter urgently. If we can allocate vast tracts of land to large corporate entities, why is the state failing to hand over land for cultivation to these marginalized groups? The state revenue department must act decisively to remove illegal encroachments and ensure justice for those who have been sidelined for too long."
Persistent Demands for Legal Protection and Preventive Measures
This is not the first instance where Mevani has vocalized such concerns. During previous assembly sessions, he has repeatedly urged the government to register offences in cases where land parcels allotted to Dalits under the Gujarat Agriculture Land Ceiling Act remain illegally occupied by non-Dalits. He highlighted the systemic failures that allow such encroachments to persist, undermining the rights and livelihoods of vulnerable communities.
In his latest appeal, Mevani went a step further by demanding preventive measures from the police. He stressed that the state must ensure the safety and security of land allottees who might attempt to take possession of their encroached lands on their own. "Preventive actions should be taken by the police to guarantee that these individuals do not suffer loss of life or property in their efforts to reclaim what is rightfully theirs," he stated, pointing to the potential risks and violence that could arise from such situations.
Broader Implications for Social Justice and Agricultural Development
The issue raised by Mevani touches on broader themes of social justice, equitable resource distribution, and agricultural development in Gujarat. The undelivered land allotments not only represent a failure in administrative execution but also reflect deeper inequalities in access to resources. By highlighting the contrast between land allocations to corporations and the delays for marginalized groups, Mevani underscored the need for a more inclusive and responsive governance approach.
As the discussion continues, stakeholders are calling for immediate audits, transparent processes, and stricter enforcement of land laws to bridge this gap. The resolution of this matter could have significant implications for the socio-economic empowerment of Dalits, OBCs, and tribals, fostering greater equity and productivity in the state's agricultural sector.
