Maldhari community joins Protest against SIR

Date: 21st July 2013

UPDATE

Mandal-Bechraji SIR: The anti-SIR protest movement gets the support of the Maldhari community

A meeting of the Maldhari community residing in the 44 villages of the SIR area met on 20th July at village Hansalpur. The meeting was attended in large numbers by leaders of Maldhari community from around 40 villages. They affirmed that the village commons viz. the pasture lands (gauchar) and wastelands (padtar) are the main sources of livelihood for them, without which their very survival would be jeopardized. They therefore resolved to protest against the SIR in totality. Although the Maldhari community was not very vocal or active in the agitation so far, they have declared their unequivocal support to the agitation and promised their participation henceforth.

They further resolved that a few individuals with vested interests are trying to mislead the community to raise the demand for SIR, but that no one from the Maldhari community ought to or will join such elements; such elements can never receive their support.

The women of the Maldhari community too will join the women’s meeting on 25th July at village Hansalpur in large numbers.

The Maldhari communities from every village (in the SIR area) will pass a resolution demanding that the common properties viz. the gauchars and the padtars not be diverted to any other purposes and that status quo be maintained on those lands.

Lalji Desai Sagar Rabari
On behalf of Jameen Adhikar Aandolan – Gujarat (JAAG)

A-302, Sharan Residency-1, Near Lohana Chhatralaya, Vasna, Ahmedabad

Contact: Lalji Desai 9727589344 Sagar Rabari 9409307693