'Dalits' Protest for Land Rights in Sangrur Village

On 28 Feb, the Dalits (marginalized caste) from the Malwa region gathered near the Bathinda-Zirakpur highway and marched to a be-chiraag (abandoned) land in Beed Aiswaan on the outskirts of Sangrur city. This land, once owned by the erstwhile princely state of Jind, now held as be-naami (un-registered) property, has remained without a legal heir following the death of its last ruler. Despite repeated demands for the state to declare it nazool (public) land and redistribute it among Dalits and other landless communities as per the Punjab Land Reform Act (PLRA), 1972, no action was taken. The protesters under the aegis of Zameen Prapati Sangarsh Committee (ZPSC) claimed the 927 acres and insisted no crops would be sown on the land after the current wheat season. The protesters plan to fairly divide the land among Dalits, landless individuals, and small farmers. They also urged the Panjab government to enforce the PLRA, seize land above 17.5 acres, and distribute it equitably. Mukesh Malod, zonal president of ZPSC, addressed the gathering, saying, 'Despite the govt.’s claims, large tracts of land are still under illegal control of big landowners, while Dalits continue to lack basic housing.' With this action, the Dalit land struggle in Panjab has entered a new phase moving beyond the fight for Dalits’ rightful one-third share of panchayati (local govt.) land. The movement has identified 153 villages across the state where similar large tracts of absentee land remain. In Panjab, Dalits, despite comprising 31% of the state’s population, own less than 3.5% of the land. The protesters named the village Begumpura—place without sorrow—echoing the vision recorded in Guru Granth Sahib (the Sikh scripture) of Dalit icon Bhagat Ravidas (proclaimed Guru by Ravidasia community) who dreamt of a place where society was casteless and classless which was established at several cities founded by the Sikh Gurus from Kartarpur to Anandpur.