Tribals from Sangamner district threaten to chop off thumbs

A tribal family of seven has travelled 300km from Sangamner district to the city, where they may attempt to chop off their thumbs in front of politicians and bureaucrats at Mantralaya on Saturday.

This is their way of protesting against the local administration which coerced them into giving their thumb impressions on some land deal documents.

The extended family of Laxman Genu Doke, 65, from Gunjewadi in Sangamner was forced to surrender its 15-acre agricultural land for a cooperative industrial society project. Last month, a bulldozer flattened their standing crops and they suffered a loss of Rs1 lakh.

Doke’s wife Tarabai, 55, said, “One morning, a constable took me to the police station. He produced a piece of paper [Rs100 stamp paper] and asked me to put my thumb impression on it. I am an illiterate and did as I was told.” The family alleged that the purpose was to insidiously get their consent to hand over the land.

Ironically, the district civil court, at the end of a six-year legal battle, has pronounced that the land is the family’s ancestral property. The documents provided by the villagers showed that the land is in their name in the revenue records.

“In the past six years, we have gone through hell,” said Doke. “Our house was demolished. My younger son Dagdu had to give up his schooling as his uniform and school bag were taken away. Our ration card was also seized by those who claim they have paid us Rs2.5 lakh for the land transaction.”

The family members claimed that they had not received any money. “We are not interested in selling the land,” said Doke. “Where is the question of taking money?” The family claimed that attempts are made to show the land is not in its name.

A senior officer in the state revenue department said, “As per the laid norms, nobody can forcibly acquire agricultural land. Prima facie, it appears that these people have been cheated. I cannot comment unless I study the documents. The case has not been referred to us by the district officials.” On the other hand, according to cooperative officials, the villagers have to forego their claim as the land has been acquired for development.

A fellow villager accompanying them said, “Their BPL ration card was robbed, depriving them of the foodgrain quota at subsidised rates.”

Senior BJP leader Madhav Bhandari said, “The Congress highhandedness against the tribals is evident. Sangamner is the hometown of agriculture minister Balasaheb Thorat. He at least should not turn a blind eye to the tribals’ woes.”