On 14 October, a large number of rural protesters under the banner of Nainital unit of All India Kisan Mahasabha faced repression by police and goons backed by local Congress MLA and Labour Minister in Bindukhatta. This was a protest against forcible implementation of state government’s decision of making Bindukhatta a Municipality instead of a revenue village. Local people are opposing this move by the Congress government of Uttarakhand, a move that will mean an indirect handover of thousands of acres of local peasants’ lands to the land mafia operatives. These lands had been acquired by the Bindukhatta peasants after a protracted and long land struggle spanning two decades during the 1980s and 1990s – and now the peasants’ control over the same lands is in danger of being weakened. People of Bindukhatta were not given their due status of a revenue village for which they are struggling since three decades, now the ‘municipality’ status will force them to an unnecessary tax regime, but their greater worry is that their lands will not remain safe. They reiterate their demand for a ‘revenue village’ while opposing the forcible making of a municipality. Their fight to save their lands and democracy is facing stiff attacks by various vested interests which are backed by the local MLA and land mafia lobby.
A “road block” protest was organised on 14 October to stop the inauguration of the municipality office. Ironically, the place chosen for this office is the local community hall which was constructed by the people through their collective efforts and resources, without any governmental support, and symbolises their collective resolve and unity evolved through long struggles and comradeship. The determined people of Bindukhatta protested vigorously and the Minister’s convoy could not move even for an inch for half an hour till the police lathi-charged the protesters. Even then, the Minister’s convoy had to divert its route. The police, frustrated at not being able to quell the protest, have arrested 18 of the protesters and framed various false charges on leaders.
It was land seizure movement led by CPI(ML) during the 1980s and 1990s that rehabilitated Bindukhatta after a long and protracted land struggle which has acquired a place in the history of democratic struggles of Uttarakhand. Thousands of poor landless who came from almost every district of the state showed how redistribution of land can save thousands of families from penury as well as forced migration to other states in search of livelihood. Their hard toil on lands and their collective resolve that through their shramdaan (voluntary labour) created roads, dozens of schools, community halls, and play grounds amidst state repression and without any help from any agency, has transformed Bindukhatta into a relatively prosperous area which now has its own share in the region’s economy, in spite of the fact that they are still deprived of a revenue village status and entitlements on their lands. The decision of making it a municipality is now being seen as a clever ploy to turn back their social and economic achievements.
CPI(ML) Uttarakhand Secretary Rajendra Pratholi has condemned the police repression on the protesting people and said that this peaceful resistance is for saving lands and reiterating demand for entitlements. He said that people’s opinion must be taken by the government before making any decision which affect their lives. He condemned attack on women protesters by Congress supporter goons and demanded stern punishment for them. Kisan Mahasabha State President Purushottam Sharma alleged that local MLA and Labour Minister Harish Durgapal is misusing power by trying to forcibly capturing the Rajiv Nagar people’s community hall for the municipality office. He told that a memorandum of protest has been sent to the DM by the people of Rajiv Nagar and Car Road which has a population of 6,000. On 13 October a petition had been filed in the High Court Chief Justice’s bench asking for a stop to the process of capturing the people’s community hall and forcibly opening a municipality office by the administration. The petition states that other than this single community hall for a population of 6,000, there is no other public place available for community programmes, cultural programmes, marriages and other functions. The Bindukhatta community health centre also functions in this community hall, and two polling booths are also put up here during Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. Comrade Purushottam further said that it is necessary for Bindukhatta to not be made a municipality in order for farmers to secure ownership rights to agricultural land. The farmers will lose their lands if Bindukhatta becomes a municipality.
CPI(ML), AIKM and AIPWA organised a protest on October 19 against this repression. A large number of people including activists of Uttarakhand ASHA Health Workers Union participated. A memorandum was sent to the CM through this protest. Comrade Raja Bahuguna addressing the protesters criticised Congress and BJP both for betraying from the promise of revenue village and for increasing mafiadom under Harish Rawat’s CM tenure. Protesters demanded immediate and unconditional withdrawal of cases framed and pledged to continue the struggle till the demands are met. They also termed the so called inauguration of the municipality a mockery as this was done amidst repression, beating of local people including women, and in presence of those who were outsiders brought there only to fill the vacant seats.
