Usurpation of the lands of Jharkhandi Adivasis (An example of what, in reality and commonly, happen

Article 19 (5) of the Constitution of India provides for fundamental right protection to

Adivasis against usurpation of their land by non-tribals or the state. However, it is a matter of concern that no one gives a hoot to this constitutional protection and there is no stopping alienation of Adivasis from their land by the state and non-state intrusion in scheduled areas. In Jharkhand, taking advantage of the legal loopholes (left intentionally? Quite possible!) in the provisions of Chhotanagpur Tenancy Act, 1908, Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act, 1949 and Scheduled Area Regulation Act, 1969 the ubiquitous land mafia, unscrupulous land grabbers and even well bred, educated and decent non tribal people have been cheating the Adivasis of their lands with the ready assistance of predatory lawyers and a corrupt bureaucracy. A case in example: In 1980 two real estate agents formed a cooperative society and then approached the Santhal tribal inhabitants of village Tetulia in Bokaro with a proposal to purchase fifty acres of land on a promised princely price of Rs.1000 per acre (even on which they later reneged) for establishing a cloth factory there.(Section 49 of the CNT Act allows for transfer of tribal land to non-tribals for industries and agriculture with permission of state revenue officials). The land was acquired and a factory-shed like structure was erected. The factory never came up, and instead the cooperative society transformed into a housing society, which built 250 houses and sold it to non-tribals at prevailing market rate.

And whatever happened to the poor Santhals,who were cheated out of their possession? Santhals! Who?

(And know what! With the newly established IIM, IIT, etc and the proposed capital city/smart city project requiring vast tracts of land in Jharkhand, the drooling land grabbers/land mafia and, of course, the state are already in an overdrive! )