A Consultation of Activists, Academia and Members of Parliament


Date: 13th December 2012
Time: 10am-5.30pm
Venue: Second Floor, International Conference Centre, YMCA,
New Delhi

Dear friends

‘Land’ and land related issues and conflicts have grabbed media headlines for quite some time now. However, from the days of India’s independence, land related discourse has undergone some substantial vicissitudes.

We have seen this land debate ranging from distribution, reforms, ‘Bhudan’ and acquisition to land capture. In the recent times, however, the discourse has moved on to accommodate the new forms of land struggles happening in the form of ‘land reclamation’, too.

The evolution of people’s struggles and movements across the countryside and in the peripheral regions of Indian metros has seen a shift from struggles for enhanced compensations and rehabilitation to struggles that challenge the very ‘Development’ (now ‘Growth’) paradigm. From ‘Jaan Denge, Zameen Nahi Denge’, the struggles have gone on to assert ‘Jaan bhi nahi, Zameen bhi nahi Denge’ and ‘Jo Zameen Sarkari Hei; Woh Zameen Hamari hei’. The country is dotted with communities resisting State sponsored land grab which resonate the demand for a just law to ensure that there is no forced acquisition of land and resources, including minerals and ground water. The voices from movements across places such as Narmada, Koel Karo, Singur, Nandigram, Sonbhadra, Chindwara, Bhavnagarm, Kalinga Nagar, Kashipur, Raigarh, Srikakulam and mining areas in central India have been putting their protests against the longstanding crisis concerning Land Acquisition and Resettlement & Rehabilitation

It is in this context that the Sangharsh collective is organising a one-day consultation in Delhi on the 13th of December 2012, from 10am to 5.30pm, at YMCA, Patel Chowk, New Delhi to discuss the prospects and challenges facing the new assertive land rights movements. The discussion will be joined by the representatives of political parties, Members of Parliament, representatives of mass movements, academics from across the country.

We do hope you will be able to join the consultation on an important legislation and enrich the debate with your inputs and experiences.

In Solidarity,

Yours Sincerely,

Medha Patkar, Narmada Bachao Andolan – NAPM
Ashok Choudhary – National Forum of Forest People and Forest Workers
Roma, Kaimur Kshetra Mahila Mazdoor Kisan Sangharsh Samiti – NFFPFW
Gautam Bandopadhyay, Nadi Ghati Morcha, Chattisgarh – NAPM
Guman Singh, Him Niti Abhiyan, Himachal Pradesh
Bhupinder Singh Rawat, Bhumi Bachao Andolan – NAPM
Dr. Rupesh Kumar, Kisan Sangharsh Samiti,UP- NAPM
Vimal Bhai, Matu Jan Sangathan, Uttarakhand – NAPM

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