Demand Justice and Rightful Rehabilitation

11th September 2008

More than 1000 people from Kanjhawala village in North West Delhi and nearby villages today sealed the Deputy Commissioner’s office in North West Delhi demanding their right to land, adequate compensation and fair rehabilitation. The protesters gathered under the banner of Jan Sangharsh Vahini and Bhartiya Kisan Union-Delhi, and was supported by National Alliance of People’s Movements, Delhi Unit.

Protesters, including large numbers of women, children and elders gathered at the Deputy Commissioner’s office around 11 am. in the morning and they sealed it. Giving slogans of "DC Office mein humara raaj, Shiela sarkar dekh lo aaj" and "Humare gaon mein humara raaj, shashan waalon sun lo aaj", the farmers vowed to end their lives if the Government continues to ignore their pleas and their lands are not returned to them. There were blockades by the farmers in Kanjhawala, Sultanpur, Dabas, Karala and other villages. Members of Political parties came and expressed their solidarity and visited the struggle but they left the place before the farmers started their action today.

There is however no response from the Delhi Government. The protesters were told that the Deputy Commissioner was on leave today. Those who were injured in yesterday’s police firing are in hospital and recovering.

Protesters will gather again tomorrow demanding their rights.

Demands:

To get the compensation at the current market price.
Denotify the regions which are captured by the Government.
Give all the privileges which comes under new LAA and R&R policy

Background:

Since 19th March 2008 farmers of Kanzhawala North West Delhi and six other villagers from the nearby villages started an indefinite strike/ dharna in front of District office north- west Delhi demanding their rights to land. According to the villagers there agricultural land has been captured by the Delhi Government for the project of Industrial Cluster and these are those industries which were once banned in Delhi for polluting the city.

More than 2000 agricultural labourers are living in Kanzhawala and surviving only on farming, they are yet to receive the compensations or any rehabilitation for the lands that have been taken over by the Delhi Government. The fact on ground is:

The Market rate for the land is minimum 1.5 crore per hector, and the award for this land as the Delhi government has announced the compensation is 75 lakhs per hector but the Delhi Government is giving only 25 lakhs per hector.
National Resettlement and Rehabilitation Policy is in effect from 31st October 2007 and mostly farmers and agriculture labourers will be benefited from the R&R Policy. However, Delhi Government is keeping the farmers and labourers away from the benefit of new R&R Policy.

We call upon all citizens and groups to condemn the atrocity on farmers and peasants of Kanzhawala.

Seeking solidarity and justice to the demands of the poor peasants and agricultural workers,