HUNDREDS of farmers under the All India Kisan Mahasabha banner protested at the Bagodar on 25 October 2018 against the GAIL which is involved in the gas pipe line laying work and NH-2 (National Highway) in the construction of the 6-lane road and to demand that Giridih should be declared a drought affected area. A 6-point memorandum was submitted to the Giridih Deputy Commissioner.
Addressing the meeting at the protest, Kisan Mahasabha State Secretary Puran Mahto said that farmers in Bagodar, Dumri, Barkatta and other places are in distress because of the highhandedness shown by GAIL and Jharkhand government. These farmers have for a long time been protesting for the following demands: acquire 5 meters instead of 30 meters of land for the gas pipeline laying work; pay 100% compensation for the acquired land; same rate of compensation across the Block; gair-majarua lands to receive the same compensation as raiyot lands. Despite their protests, GAIL has started the pipe laying work willfully without talking to the farmers and without paying compensation. This will never be tolerated by the thousands of affected farmers. Puran Mahto further said that if GAIL and the government do not take the farmers’ demands seriously, sharper and stronger protests would soon be launched. He also pointed out that the order to vacate shops, hotels, and places of trade for the purpose of the 6-lane road without first measuring the land has caused a lot of distress to those evicted. He said that GAIL and NH must pay equal compensation for gair-majarua lands (same as for raiyyot lands) otherwise, the work will not be allowed to progress.
After the protest, an effigy burning of the local MLA and MP was organized against the Raghubar government’s policy of no compensation for gair-majarua lands. A mass meeting was then held at the GT Road chowk. Addressing the meeting, Mustaq Ansari said that thousands of farmers settled for decades on gair-majarua lands are very angry indeed at the declaration by the Raghubar government that no compensation will be paid for gair-majarua lands. Local MLA Nagendra Mahto and MP Ravindra Rai have also supported this order by the government; therefore in the coming election they should go to the companies and not come to the villagers and farmers to ask for votes.
