Dalits in U.P. can now sell their land to non-Dalits

Dalits in U.P. can now sell their land to non-Dalits

Ram Naik on Tuesday gave his consent to the Revenue Code (Amendment) Ordinance.

Dalits in Uttar Pradesh would soon be able to sell their land to non-Dalits without the approval of the administration.

This comes into being after Governor Ram Naik on Tuesday gave his consent to the Revenue Code (Amendment) Ordinance proposed by the Samajwadi government. Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav’s Cabinet had passed the ordinance last month but the Governor had withheld approval.

The ordinance would bring radical changes in prevailing revenue laws dating to the British era, speeding up disposal of litigations in rural areas over land ownership. It also contains a contentious clause regarding Dalits, which has led to the BSP gunning for the SP.

The ordinance will allow Dalits to sell their land to non-Dalits even if their remaining holding is less than 3.5 acres. To safeguard land ownership of Dalits and protect them from being forced to sell their land to upper caste persons, the existing land revenue laws did not allow them to sell their land to OBCs and Upper Castes if their remaining land was less than 3.5 acres.

In 2006, the Mulayam Singh government proposed a similar amendment but it could not be implemented. The Mayawati government, which came to power in 2007, opposed the move. When the SP came back to power in 2012 it got the President’s assent, as the ordinance involved the repealing of more than 30 Acts, including Central Acts.

While the SP has contended that the ordinance would safeguard Dalit interest and protect them from “distress selling,” the BSP has accused the party of conspiring to make poor Dalits landless and further push them towards the periphery.

Major issue during polls

The issue could heat up during the 2007 Assembly election. Ms. Mayawati is hoping for a strong consolidation of her traditional voters, the Dalits, to regain power.

Mr. Naik gave his assent keeping in view the urgency of the matter, as there was a possibility that the Winter Session of the U.P. Assembly could be convened in the last week of January, a Raj Bhavan spokesperson said.

To end the stalemate on a number of issues, Mr. Yadav had called on Mr. Naik on December 9. Among other issues, the Winter Session and Revenue Code (Amendment) Ordinance, 2015 were discussed.