Musahars: Landlessness among Dalits in Purvanchal

DC: Tell us about yourself and your work.

Anita: In 2004 a collective was formed, Musahar Manch [MM]. This was the time when they examined and interrogated the question of land. This is the first collective that focused on the question of land as well as social concerns.

During the early days, education among the Musahar people was zero. Our first focus was education. We worked intensely to make sure kids in each family are enrolled in school and have enough facility and resources to commute to school, to purchase text books and so on. When we started we had two three children in high school and one in inter. After 14 years of consistent struggle now we have 22 students in BA final year. Some children are enrolled in computer related technical courses. Many girls are being educated at high school level as opposed to none before.

Dinesh Prasad: Musahar people had lands, sometimes near river banks, sometimes near jungle areas. Most of the agricultural land was gradually taken over by dabang (dominant/powerful) people for very little money. Thus the situation of Musahar people became extremely vulnerable. In 1998, Government had declared pattas. Many Musahars had pattas in their name but were not given possession. Thus, the first issue voiced by MM was to demand possession of pattas. Second demand was to urge transfer of Benami lands (lands under illegal possession) to Musahar people. Thirdly, that barren land or non-cultivable lands be harnessed for irrigation and lastly, certain uneven lands should be leveled to make it cultivable.

With these demands, every year Musahar Manch held rallies, collectivized people for ongoing struggles and kept the agenda alive. People were afraid to raise their voice; they never filed a police complaint or visited a police station. Many did not have any knowledge of these legal mechanisms to address their problems. Manch held meetings in villages to raise awareness about their rights; right to food, right to education, right to livelihood, right to land and right to health.

In spite of the struggle of Dalits raising their voice to demand their land rights, the government on the question of land is still not able or willing to take the decision in favor of the Dalits. Government acts only when we create a big fuss.

Our next focus was to avail ration cards for Musahar people. MM held dharnas for three days in tehsils, which resulted in the allotment of 569 tatkal ration cards for the Musahar people. Thus, they were included in ration books. This helped in the daily sustenance.

District Magistrate (DM), Deepal Agarwal also supported our demand for the possession of patta. We along with a team from Nepal organized a seven day abhiyan to demand possession of 392 pattas in Soghivarna. We managed to avail possession of pattas for 63 persons. In Naya Panchayat of Badiya village, pattas were demarcated but not distributed among people. We filed a court case; however the whole court process was stayed by the Dabang people. We resisted the stay on the court process and it was finally removed. Finally in 2005 MM organized an event where 27 people were allotted possession of pattas.

The whole idea of distribution of pattas to Dalits is for the Dalit’s livelihood, so that there is improvement in their economic status and so that they can live with dignity. However still we have to fight for it. We have to fight the government and the people holding power because they don’t want the manuvadi power structure to break. Manuvadi people do not want the Dalits to have land, to have education, to have a decent livelihood because then they will lose the power they hold.

Pattas were distributed to Dalits in 1973, 1997, 2007, and 1984. Lands which were under the control of big people those pattas got stay order. Till this date 35 percent people who are allotted pattas but, did not get possession and their struggle is still going on. Some benami lands are also allotted to Musahar people but they are still fighting to get possession.

DC: As you have worked in both Maharajgunj and Kushinagar, what is the importance of land for the people like musahar who are one of the most backward Caste among the Dalit community.

Dinesh: Earlier these people had lands but it was near forest area or at river banks. Their population was small and they did not recognize the value of land. Since they were poor they were not able to spend to increase the fertility and productivity of land. However, with rising prices and increasing family members they started understanding the value of land.

Initially they were given forest land for free for a period of three years. They were supposed to clear it and then cultivate it. The forest land did not require manure because it was naturally fertile. Again, after three years they would be given another forest land which they will clear and then cultivate crops. This system of allotting forest land to Dalits for clearing and making it cultivable by the forest department went on for many years. So, these Dalits started giving more importance to this forest lands and did not attach much value to their own lands. Gradually the other people who came, they seized the lands owned by Dalits at very low prices. Sometimes Musahar people sold lands for cheap to cover the expenditure of weddings or funerals. When the forest plan was discontinued and by then these people had lost their lands, then they understood the importance of owning land. This was a huge setback because the livelihood they earned through the cultivation of forest land was suddenly stopped by the government. Those who still had their own lands started cultivating their lands.

Many also become landless. In Maharajganj district there are only 25 persons from the population of 10,000 who own more than 3 acres of land. Rest 7016 people are landless people as per Musahar Manch data. 265 families have 0-25 decimals of land, which means 0.2 percent people are landed people. 193 people who have pattas are still being debated in courts. Since 2008 we are constantly struggling for attaining our land rights. Till date we have submitted 1600 petitions. 344 families don’t have their own land; they survive by working on other people’s land. We only get assurance from the government but no land.

DC: Did you face any land related problems as well?

In 2004 I had built a house on the patta land that was allotted to me. However, the dabang people raised objection to it and my house was demolished by the government authorities. I resisted this demolition by filing a court case and later got my land back.

The upper caste people here, they survive through the bondage and enslavement of the poor and marginalized. They lend money on high interest. When they are not able to pay back in the given time then their lands [or wealth in the form of crops or other property] are forcefully seized from them. The motive behind seizing their lands is also that these people stay under them and cheap labor can be extracted from them. Upper caste people look upon Dalits as people without resources and power which gives them impunity to mistreat them without any fear of facing any consequences. Because of this thinking they continue to exploit and oppress the Dalits.

When the forest plan was discontinued and by then these people had lost their lands, then they understood the importance of owning land. This was a huge setback because the livelihood they earned through the cultivation of forest land was suddenly stopped by the government. Those who still had their own lands started cultivating their lands.

Since the past few years now because of the constant struggle of the Musahar Manch Dalits are experiencing a lot of relief. Now the upper caste people know that they cannot easily get away because now the Dalits are a collective force, that they will raise their voice against oppression and demand justice and pressurize the government to take action.

In spite of the struggle of Dalits raising their voice to demand their land rights, the government on the question of land is still not able or willing to take the decision in favor of the Dalits. Government acts only when we create a big fuss. Even the Chief Minister is a zamindar and the dabang people have connection till the top. Every time Dalits have to face the pressure to suppress their movement and their demands. That is why we want to create an interstate alliance. We work along with other civil rights organizations. Last we organized an event at Lucknow and we even sent a petition to the government and it is still reluctant to take a decision in favor of Dalits. Poor cannot afford to buy the seed and manure for their land cultivation and land has also been commercialized. They are seizing lands from poor farmer and giving it to big corporates.