Cattle rearers, tribals, farmers, mull protests across Gujarat for rights

Organizations of farmers, cattle rearers, tribals and fisherman have planned a series of protests in the state to protect their rights. They have demanded total waiver of debt of farmers, payment of claims of crop insurances, give possession of land to tribals, protect rights of tribals, fisherfolks, saltpan workers and even farm labourers.

A meeting of close to 30 organizations representing the deprived segments of society had held a meeting in the city on Thursday. Accordingly, a march will be carried out from Karamsad (birth place of Sardar Patel) on January 9 to Gandhi Ashram on January 11, coventions will be held in Bhavnagar, Rajkot, Sabarkantha, Surendranagar, Bharuch and Ahmedabad districts and memoranda of demands will be submitted at district and taluka head quarters. "We will also rope in small and medium businesses that are victims of anti-poor and pro-big industry policies of government. Big industries are getting bigger, while small industries are finding difficult to survive. We will take together all segments that are victims of faulty policies of the government," said Sagar Rabari, founder president of Gujarat Khedut Ekta Manch.

Lakhan Musafir, who works for tribals said that under the guise of development projects, the government is taking away land from tribals. "In many cases, they are not even acquiring land but duping gullible tribals by getting a certificate of consent for use of their lands. Tribals are not given ownership of land they are entitled to," said Musafir.

Ramji Rathod, president of Bhabhar taluka for Kisaan Ekta Samiti said that Dalits are discriminated and given lower prices compared to milk producers of other castes. "We are also given separate pipelines for supply of drinking water, where there is no supply of water. Even if there are canals for irrigation, people from other castes draw water midway and Dalits are deprived," said Rathod.