Representatives of several social organisations of Ukhand led by Kishore Upadhyay protest at Jantar Mantar on new Land act issue
Representatives of several organisations under the leadership of former Congress chief Kishore Upadhyay and convenor of Vanadhikar andolan in Uttarakhand staged a one day Dharna at Jantar Mantar demanding enactment of a concrete land act in Uttarakhand and providing rights of forests to it’s inhabitants as before compounded with rendering them all the previous ownership rights as well. The basic purpose of this sit in protest was to mobilise the member of parliaments, lawmakers of Uttarakhand and central government to listen to their protracted genuine n transparent pro people demands and fulfil them at the earliest.
The protestors demanded that a new law should be enacted to protect the land of Uttarakhand from outside land sharks, as being done in other North eastern himalayan states as well as in Himachal Pradesh. In addition they also demanded immediate implementation of Forests rights act 2006 in Uttarakhand to restore their ownership and forest rights as were earlier. The demands also include declaration of Uttarakhand inhabitants as forest dwellers and should be provided all the facilities as the forest dwellers of other areas of the country are getting. One member of the family should be provided employment in Uttarakhand and those killed by natural calamities or man eaters should be financially compensated with Rs 25 lakhs each. The protestors also demanded guarantee of a govt job to at least one member of the bereaved family of those lynched during man eaters attacks etc.
A unanimous decision was taken in the protest meeting to pressurise the BJP govt of Uttarakhand to fulfill all their demands prior to the state assembly elections scheduled for 2022. A memorandum was also submitted to the PMO, South block annexed with the above demands. Prominent among those who participated in this sit in protest were Kishore Upadhyay, former President Uttarakhand Congress, Joint secretary AICC Haripal Rawat, social activist Anil Pant, Ramesh Ghildiyal n several others.
New Land Laws for Uttarakhand on the lines of neighboring state of Himanchal should be introduced is a correct demand that should had come right at the formation of Uttarakhand. But leadership of both the leading parties haven’t been ever serious about it. I ran from pillow to post, in 2000, requesting top learning of Uttarakhand origin to take the brindle in their hand and shape this state up like Prof YSP did for HP . But then no one listened to my request. The state went in the hands of gladiators. Swamy Nityanand could never accede to the requirement of Hills. Thereafter, everyone who came neither had any vision for Uutarakhand Hills nor have that concern for the populace. Some as CM ruled it as Central Minister would do and others had no clue about governance whatsoever.
I doubt if the priorities are set properly even now.
BJP rally lead by Kishore Uppadhyay is a show of power projection and to counter other parties influence in the state. How had I wished the genuineness in their efforts to demand separate land laws for Uk.
The new Land Laws for Uttarakahand should be introduced immediatly.