By IANS
New Delhi : Bowing to the demands of thousands of tribals and farmers who marched for nearly four weeks, the government announced Monday it was setting up a committee to suggest land reforms and fast track courts to settle land disputes.
Impressed by the resolve of the protestors who walked all the way from Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh to the national capital, Rural Development Minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh told a 25,000-strong rally at the Ramlila ground here that the government was accepting their demands.
The minister promised to constitute a committee comprising experts drawn from various fields to come up with suggestions on how to undertake land reforms that would help the people engaged in farming.
The committee, he added to loud cheers, would also suggest ways to set up fast track courts to settle the growing number of disputes involving the industry and the government on the one hand and those who lose land to industrial activity.
“This committee will carry out field surveys and studies, collate the data and make recommendations through my ministry to the National Land Reforms Council headed by the prime minister,” he said.
“The committee will look into all land related issues, including land reforms, and will make specific recommendations on the policies related to land, speedier disposal of land-related court cases and judicial forums.”
Raghuvanish Prasad Singh made a dramatic entry to the Ramlila ground after leaders of the protest demonstration called on him at his office and submitted a list of demands.
P.V. Rajagopal, the founder of Ekta Parishad, the main organiser of the rally, described the announcement as a “Diwali gift”.
The announcement came as a sort of victory to the 25,000 who began their 322 km trek Oct 2, Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday, to highlight the pathetic plight of the most marginalized sections of the Indian society – tribals, farm workers and other members of the countryside.
The organisers had decided that their final destination would be Parliament Street – the street that leads to the British-built Indian parliament building.
But that was not to be. On Monday morning, Delhi Police surrounded the Ramlila ground and shut all its gates, preventing the marchers from complete the last leg of a march that has drawn global attention and was joined by some 70 young women and men from other countries.
The police told the march organisers that they could go to Parliament Street in small groups but not as a large group.
At the same time, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called Raghuvansh Prasad Singh to his office and discussed with him measures to be taken by the government over the demands of those who took part in the walk.
The police action did disappoint many.
“We do not know why we have been stopped from going to parliament, but the police are not allowing us to go forward,” Rajgopal had said at noon, frustrated that their plans had been thwarted.
“Even our water tankers are not allowed to go out for refilling. This is causing great problems for people camping here,” Santosh Singh, one of the camp leaders, told IANS.
At around 1 p.m., Rajgopal left for a meeting with the minister. He returned to the ground with the minister and asked him to address the teeming crowds.
After the announcement, the mood turned celebratory with folk music blaring from loudspeakers.
Now organisers have started making plans for the return journey of the thousands of marchers.
“We are asking for extra coaches to be added to the trains to accommodate the people who have to return to their homes,” said Krishna Kumar, one of the several people who have been in charge of the rally from Gwalior to New Delhi.