Dalit body opposes amendment to Tenancy Act

Jaipur, June 23 (UNI) Centre for Dalit Rights has warned against the government's proposed move to amend the Rajasthan Tenancy Act which protects the land rights of the people belonging to the SC/ST communities.

Addressing a press conference here today PL Mimoth, president of the Centre for Dalit Rights said section 42 of the Act prohibits the sale and purchase of land belonging to Dalits by people belonging to other castes and communities. A Dalit can sell his land only to a Dalit.

He alleged that the Rajasthan government's proposed move to bring an amendment to the Rajasthan Tenancy Act 1955 was to placate the land mafia which has become very powerful in the state with real estate price sky rocketing.

He warned that if the government succumbs to the pressure of the land mafia and lift the ban of land rights of the Dalits it will leave the marginalised Dalits landless. He said ''for Dalits land is not only a source of livelihood but also a symbol of dignity''.

Mr Mimoth said even when the ban is in force many powerful people have usurped dalits land clandestinely. He said if the ban is lifted the powerful land mafia will leave the dalits landless which is fraught with many social consequences like migration of the rural landless people flocking the cities and further degradation of their lives.

He asked the government to desist from such a retrograde step which will further alienate and marginalise dalits and pledged to resist any move to disempower of the Dalits.

UNI