BJP State President and Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi today met the tribal-farmer peasants, who were opposing the plan to build a hospital on their fertile agricultural land in Nagdi of Kanke, Ranchi and listened to their problems.
He termed this construction work as destruction in the name of development of Jharkhand. He said that why are the people who have been earning their livelihood by farming here for years being displaced? What crime have these farmers committed that their fertile land is being snatched away? If the government wants to build a hospital, then there is no dearth of barren land around Ranchi. If they are not getting it, then we are ready to search for it.
Marandi further said that in this area there is 202 acres of land on one side and 25 acres on the other side. The government should think whether this is the right decision? If hospitals are built by destroying fertile fields, then this is not development, but the destruction of Jharkhand. He appealed to Chief Minister Hemant Soren to visit the site once and see what is really happening.
The Leader of Opposition reminded that earlier also similar agricultural land was taken during the construction of Law University, and even then the local people sat on dharna in protest.
He said that he had come to this land earlier also, but then it was not clear which place has been left. Now it is clearly visible that the government's evil eye has again fallen on this land. This is unfortunate.
He said that the government should not snatch the livelihood of tribal-farmers in the name of development. The soul of Jharkhand is its soil, fields and farmers, and the destruction of these will make the future of the state dark.
Marandi strongly condemned the entire incident and called it a direct violation of tribal rights. He met the Raiyats of Nagdi and not only listened to their pain, but also warned the government that it wants to evict the tribals from their agricultural land, the tribals have no other means than farming to earn their livelihood.
He said that it is illegal to acquire anyone's land without the permission of the Gram Sabha. According to the Constitution, tribals have the right over their land, and the BJP stands with them. No one can be allowed to snatch the land of tribals by using police force.
Marandi directly targeted the coalition government and said that this government is bent on "selling Jharkhand". He said that the land of the Raiyats of Nagdi was never acquired before, nor has any legal process been completed.
He said that the villagers have shown the entire file of land acquisition. There is no notification, no compensation, no consent of the Gram Sabha. All this is like strangling democracy. BJP will not let this injustice happen.
Marandi announced that BJP will raise the issue from the Assembly to the streets. He said that if needed, the party will also knock on the doors of the court.
He said that we will fail the attempt to snatch the land of the peasants. There will be a mass movement against this dictatorial attitude of the government.
On this occasion, hundreds of tribal peasants of the village including Ashok Badaik, Balku Oraon were present.