CHENNAI: Activists have urged the State government to enact a law to prevent lands granted to Scheduled communities from being transferred to those from other castes. They rued that Tamil Nadu did not have such an Act despite being a pioneer in social justice even as neighbouring States like Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka have laws to protect SC/ST lands.
Tada Periyasamy, a BJP functionary, told TNIE, “The State government says it will take steps to retrieve Panchami lands from encroachers and hand them over to Scheduled communities. At the same time, the State should enact an Act to protect lands granted to SC/STs from encroachers. Many States have such an Act. It is the need of the hour and is as important as retrieval of Panchami lands.”
As per Acts such as the Andhra Pradesh Assigned Lands (Prohibition on Transfers) Act, 1977, Karnataka Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prohibition of Transfers of Certain Lands) Act, 1978, and Maharashtra Restoration of Lands to Scheduled Tribes Act, 1974, a person acquiring such assigned land in contravention of provisions can be punished with imprisonment of up to six months and slapped with a penalty.
Stressing the demand, former MLA and president of the Republic Party of India, CK Tamilarasan, told TNIE, “Protests for retrieval of Panchami lands have been going on for more than 50 years. The AIADMK government in 2001 announced financial assistance to enable SC/ST communities to purchase land. As part of this scheme, the State would offer `2 lakh as a loan with a subsidy of Rs 1 lakh. But, the scheme didn’t fructify due to the lethargic attitude of officials. The State should revive this scheme and turn Scheduled communities into landlords since retrieval of Panchami lands still seems far-fetched.”
He too sought enactment of a law to protect lands assigned to SC/STs. The State government can issue an ordinance before enacting an Act, he suggested. He also demanded that besides Panchami lands, the State government should bring in a law to protect housing sites and donor lands given to members of Scheduled communities.
Speaking about the need for such a law, Kudanthai Arasan, founder president of Viduthalai Tamil Puligal Katchi, told TNIE, “If there is no specific law to protect SC/ST lands, the claim that Panchami lands would be retrieved sounds like an eyewash. What would protect such retrieved lands from falling into the hands of influential caste Hindus again?” Villupuram MP D Ravikumar told TNIE, “We have also been raising the same demand for years. It should be enacted at the earliest to protect the welfare of SC/STs.”
The ruling party had promised during the Assembly election that it would retrieve all encroached Panchami lands and has now established a commission for Scheduled communities. Many feel an Act to protect assigned lands would prove that the government has been earnestly working for the welfare of disadvantaged people.
‘Enact law’
“The State should enact a law to safeguard Dalit lands while simultaneously retrieving Panchami lands,” said Congress floor leader in Assembly K Selvaperunthagai