Jharkhand farmers protest over land acquisition

Ghatsila (Jharkhand), Apr 19 (ANI): Eminent writer and civil rights activist Mahasweta Devi on Sunday joined hands with farmers in their struggle against the acquisition of farmland for a proposed steel plant in Jharkhand's Ghatsila region.

The farmers of Potka, Kalikapur and Asambani villages of East Singhbhum District are unwilling to give away their land to Jindal Steel and Bhushan Steel companies, but the villagers allege the government is still forcibly evicting farmers from their lands.

"The fight is about saving our lands. We are not going to give up our lands in any case. Today we will welcome Mahasweta Devi amongst us and we will try to forward our demands to the government," said Tapas Kumar Bhagat, a villager.

"They will throw them just like that. What will happen to them, where will they go, what will they eat, where will they live, they don't care about it at all," said Mahashweta Devi.

State Governments across India have witnessed several such protests in the recent past, as farmers are up in arms against the acquisition of their fertile lands, which are their sole means of livelihood.

Land acquisition for various projects such as Special Economic Zones (SEZs), highways and industrial projects has sparked off violent protests and agitations across India in the recent past. (ANI)