5000 people from Raichur to participate in agitation in Bengaluru

Over five thousand people from different parts of Raichur district are expected to participate in the agitation scheduled for August 20 in Bengaluru demanding cultivable lands for landless and homes for homeless. The agitation would be organised by Bhoomi Mattu Vasati Hakku Vanchitara Horata Samithi, a State-level conglomerate of different organisations and individuals for a common goal.

Addressing a press meet here on Friday, K. Nagalingaswamy, district president of Karnataka Raitha Sangha, that is part of the fourm, said that over 25,000 people from different parts of the State would participate in the agitation on the birth centenary of former Chief Minister of Karnataka late D. Devaraj Urs, who introduced land reforms in the State.

“The land reforms introduced by Devaraj Urs remained incomplete as the governments after him showed little interest to provide cultivable lands to landless farmers. It is meaningless to celebrate Devaraj Urs birth centenary when his dream of providing a piece of land to poor and landless farmers remained unfulfilled. Huge tracts of government land both in urban and rural areas are encroached. The government must clear these encroachments and distribute the lands among the poor,” Mr. Nagalingaswamy said.

He asked the government to make a clear distinction between large-scale encroachments of government lands by powerful politicians, mighty landlords and influential religious institutions and the bagair hukum lands that had been cultivated by poor and landless farmers for a living.

“No governments after Devaraj Urs took the land and housing issue seriously. Instead of clearing the large scale encroachments, these governments have been harassing and attempting to evict bagair hukum farmers. Lakhs of applications seeking regularisation of bagair hukum lands by their genuine tillers are piling up and gathering dust in government offices,” he said.

The Bengaluru agitation would raise 15 major demands including five acres of cultivable lands to every landless farmer, a home or residential plot to every homeless family and regularisation of bagair hukum lands to their genuine cultivators, he added.

M.R. Bheri, S. Rajashekhar, Nagaraj Pujar, G. Amaresh, Maruthi Dagennanavar, Anjineya Kurubadoddi and others were present.