Panchami lands to be reclaimed by Dalits

K Sarath Chandra

Chennai: Based on the report submitted by the then Chengalpet District Collector J.H.A. Tremen Heere, a British officer in 1891, the British Parliament passed the Depressed Class Land Act in the year 1892 and 12,00,000 acres of land were distributed to them in Tamil Nadu, by seeing the plight of the depressed classes and their socio-economic, political and cultural conditions.
These lands were called Panchami lands and were given away under certain conditions, i.e., they cannot sell the lands or lease them out or give as gifts or pledge them for the first 10 years and after the expiry of the 10-year period, the lands could be transferred, but only to persons belonging to the depressed classes and any breach of these conditions will entail cancellation of the assignment – Source- The Hindu
The Dalits said that it was their right to have panchami lands and they would get them at any cost, even by forcefully occupying them. Dalit Land Rights Federation on Thursday said though the political parties promised to reclaim and restore panchami lands to Dalits, it had not been done.
C. Nicholas a federation organizer said that they were contemplating occupation of panchami lands in Tamil Nadu on the basis of various court rulings and Government Orders.
Q) As per the law, Panchami lands cannot be sold or transferred. They were given to the Dalit families to guard them against poverty, but don’t you think many have sold their lands against the law?
Q) Was the probe of the panel on the illegal transfers of panchami lands satisfactory?
Q) Why were your petitions in the past were not considered by the government officials?
Q) The constitutional rights of Dalits, such as the right to economic justice and the right to live with dignity, says that Dalits have a right to these lands, so, don’t you think the government should take measures to restore the lands?
Q) Do you claim that the State government’s allocation of panchami lands to Special Economic Zones or industrial parks was unconstitutional and you can win the case in the court?
Mary, a Dalit woman lost her land when her sons gave away the land to realtors in return of some money. She was protesting and was asking to give her land back.
Q) Why were you not staying in the lands which were given to you by the government?
Q) Can you reclaim your lands considering that the land was sold to others by your family?
Q) The land which you possessed few years back, was it supportive to your family’s income?
Q) Don’t you think the Revenue Department officials’ indifferent attitude was to be blamed for the inaction on the petitions forwarded by you?
Q) Are the lands in your neighbourhood taken away forcibly by anyone in the past?