Now, teachers turn to moneylending in Vidarbha

Charge 60 to 120 per cent interest on loans

AKOLA/YAVATMAL: Farmers in the Vidarbha region are grappling with the problem of unscrupulous teachers, who are making a fortune lending money and grabbing their land.

Two days ago, Chaya Thakre, a resident of Lakmapur village in the Vidarbha region, was severely beaten up by a moneylender, who had earlier received the President’s award for being an ideal teacher. Chhaya’s fault: She was trying to prevent the “ideal” teacher from taking possession of her land.

Chhaya has been admitted to a hospital in Akola town.  Her husband, Sahebrao Thakre, said: “It was a close shave for her. We’ve lost our land. But I’m lucky that my wife is still alive.”

Two years ago, Sahebrao had borrowed Rs 20,000 from Sheshrao Sontakke, a recipient of the President’s ‘ideal teacher’ award. In return,

the teacher had asked Sahebrao to sign sale deed papers for his four-acre land.

A year later, Sahebrao repaid double the loan amount to Sontakke and asked him to return the deed papers. But Sontakke, who has allegedly grabbed acres of land from distress-ridden farmers, refused.  Turn to Sahebrao lost his land and money. But a local Shiv Sena MLA, Gulabrao Gawande, waged a campaign against unscrupulous moneylenders in the village and got back Sahebrao’s land. But legally, Sontakke still owned the land.

On May 22, when Sahebrao was away from his village, the Sontakkes entered the field and tried to take possession of the farm. Chaya fought tooth and nail to save the land, but was beaten up by Sontakke and five others.

Shantaram Waghmare, Akola superintendent of police, said: “The high court has ruled in favour of the Sontakkes. Why did Chaya try to stop them from tilling the land. We can’t take any action.”

Like Sahebrao, Santosh Sontake too faced a similar fate. A resident of Janunagaon village, he lost his father and his land to another unscrupulous teacher-turned moneylender. His father, Gopal, had “mortgaged” three-and-a-half acres of land in lieu of a loan of Rs 20,000 from a primary school teacher, who made him sign a  land sale deed. Soon, Gopal was killed by goons hired by the teacher. Santosh was accused of murdering his father and arrested. Though he was released later, he lost the land.

Vijay Raut, Congress member of Arni Panchayat Samiti in Yavatmal, conceded that teachers were increasingly turning to moneylending. “If a husband-wife duo brings home Rs 30,000, they lend a huge chunk to desperate farmers on a high interest. They later trick the farmers and take possession of their land.”

A teacher with a zilla parishad school at Dotodi village in Yavatmal’s Arni block said: “Mortgages are not in practice any more. Now, legal sale deeds are in vogue.”

He explained that when a farmer borrows money, he signs a deed saying the land has been ‘sold’ to the creditor. This deed is registered at the district deputy registrar’s office. The understanding is that when the loan is repaid, the creditor will tear the document. But, he doesn’t. And the farmers are robbed off their land.

Meanwhile, as preparation for the new kharif season enters a crucial phase in Vidarbha, farmers’ suicides have also increased. As many as 18 farmers have reportedly committed suicide in Vidarbha over the past three days, according to the Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti (VJAS), a farmers’ movement in Yavatmal. The toll since January 1, 2007 stands at 397 till May 23.

Six farmers killed themselves – three from Wardha, two from Buldana and one from Akola – on May 23. Nearly 3,000 farmers have committed suicide in Vidarbha since 2004.

In Janunagaon village, Santosh Sontake lost his father and land to another unscrupulous teacher-turned moneylender. His father, Gopal, had “mortgaged” three-and-a-half acres of land in lieu of a loan of Rs 20,000 from a primary school teacher, who made him sign a  land sale deed. Soon, Gopal was killed by goons hired by the teacher. Santosh was accused of murdering his father and arrested. Though he was released later, he lost the land.