112) Land grab

“I have stopped believing in God. For the past 20 years, all I have been doing is going to the collector's office and waiting for something to happen. The officers are too scared to do anything to help me.

My husband and I had three acres of land in Behranya village. By force we were evicted by a private person and he now uses our land as though it is his.

Two decades have passed since this incident, but not one person is able to help us out. I don't have enough money to feed myself, where can I arrange for a bribe to give the officers. We have tried talking to the leaders, the head of the village and everyone possible, but they feel it is a very small issue for them. All we get is assurance and the next thing we know, we are back at the offices fighting for our right.

I have two daughters and one has to be married. Who will give me the money for her marriage? We have a right over the land which we lost?

I am not begging for some grant and neither do I want to be enrolled under the Below Poverty Line scheme. Why should I, when I have my own land through which I can earn a living? I have decided that I will fight for this till the very end. Even if I do not get to enjoy it, the next generation should not suffer.

I cannot count the number of times, when the entire family has gone hungry for days. For the Janadesh rally, I was determined. I worked in the fields of other people, earned some money and purchased grain, so that I could sustain myself during this fight. I am not going to give up”.

Said Mythili, a household servant and doing odd chores for a living on her predicament.

I scanned the “The Times of India” and read that Mukesh Ambani had become the world’s richest person. What it did not conveniently report was how the vulnerable were crushed systematically with the help of complaisant people. This time, land grab in the name of SEZ.

God, what crimes are committed in the name of development.