Wronged by history, 'Raisina' farmers want justice

[KALKI]

NEW DELHI/ Malcha (Sonipat ): The tiny village of Malcha in Sonipat has a little over 300 families . But people here don't celebrate Independence Day. A century ago , they were wronged by the erstwhile British Empire , and after Independence , the 'welfare state' of India did nothing to rectify the wrongs . So, for them , August 15 is a day of protest : a grim reminder of what had happened tothem in 1911 ,the year British India'scapitalwasshiftedfrom Calcutta to Delhi.

Ancestors of these villagers owned the 1,792-acre land where the Rashtrapati Bhawan , Parliament House and India Gate stand today . Between 1910 and 1912 , the British acquired their land against a paltry compensation of Rs 35 per acre for agricultural land , and Rs 15 per acre for non-agricultural patches .

At least 35 Jat families did not take the compensation. "But none could resist the rulers.TheBritishdisbursedcompensation for approximately 500 acres. My grandfather and granduncle did not take the amount and fled from Delhi," said Jeet Singh . The two could have got about Rs 3,600 for the 500 acres .

"Everyone was so afraid of the British that they never sharedwith anyonewhat had happened to them . An uncle , who was also a freedom fighter , told us much later what had happened ; and we started digging information ," Singh recalled .

Singh and other villagers movedTisH azaricourtin 2004, claiming revised compensation for the land or the interest on the original amount . They also produced a document that showed how the compensation amount , which the farmers did not take , was deposited with the Bank of Bengal . The case has now moved to Patiala House Courts and the next date of hearing is August 19. "The government counsel has told the court that the undisbursed amount is still lying with the bank . We arehoping for justice, as many of us, who were landlordsonceupon a time ,haveonly two to three acres now ," Singh said .A retired BSF officer , Ram Swarup , who was deployed at the North Block for five years , recalled how painful it was for him to stand on the land that once belonged to his family . "My father lost 600 acres of landhere .After they cameto Sonipat , they were treated like refugees ," hesaid .

On Thursday , representatives from different villages in Delhi endorsed the demands of Malcha villagers . At a workshop organized by Delhi Gramin Samaj , they said the proposed Land Acquisition Bill should incorporate the provision of enhanced compensation of all lands acquired since 1911 . Farmers alleged that land development agencies in NCR had been acquiring land at throwaway prices , only to sell them at higher prices . "Land acquired atRs 9 lakh per acrein Bawana was auctionedby DDA atRs 4.2crore ," said a farmer .