Denied justice, dalit family wants to give up Indian citizenship

Times of India: Ahmedabad: Monday, 25 January 2016.

In a shocking case of apathy , a dalit family has offered to give up their Indian citizenship because they are being deprived of their constitutional right to justice in a case of land-grabbing by local strongmen of their Sabarkantha village. This offer comes after more than four letters from the CM, eight from the Gujarat governor, two from the DGP , four from the social welfare minister and 50 from various state secretaries, who have not yet been able to help them.

Chandu Nadiya (42), a native of Ahmedpura village of Talod taluka of Sabarkantha district, had in 2007 found that his ancestral land measuring around 30 bighas (71,340 square metres) was transferred to four people from the same village. They began a legal fight to get their land back, but they would not have imaging that this would multiply their miseries.

Nadiya had in 2011first approached the local authorities like the mamlatdar, deputy collector and the revenue department, but as no relief came, they moved to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) for land cases and the revenue tribunals. However, the SIT order went against them, stating that the case has been disposed in the Supreme Court.

When the aggrieved persons filed an RTI inquiring in such an SC order, the reply stated that the case had never reached the apex court. One SIT member wasn't even present on the day of verdict, on July 24, 2014.

Following this setback, the victim started approaching the state secretaries of the social welfare and revenue departments, and the authorities ordered that action be taken against those responsible and the state government employees involved in the case. Again, no actions were initiated. This led the farmer to approach the director general of police (DGP), who on June 20 directed the filing of an FIR against all the accused. However, that too remained unheard by the district authorities.

Nadiya then wrote eight let ters to Governor O P Kohli. Fed up, the dalit man sought euthanasia for him and his family including his wife, two daughters aged 12 and five respectively and his three-year-old son.Kohli also directed that stern action be taken in the case, but it did not get any response. At last, Nadiya wrote four letters to chief minister Anandiben Patel, seeking action in this case. However, the authorities have remained unmoved. Nadiya then wrote to the CM again, stating that he has become a victim of `intolerance' and offered to give up his citizenship.

When contacted, Nadiya said, "There is no meaning to keeping such futile documents like voters' ID card or ration card, when we are not given constitutional rights. Even the CM's orders are not followed, so there is no option left for me.So, as a final protest, my family and I can give up our citizenship."

Sabarkantha district collector P Swaroop denied the dalit family's charge as "just misrepresentation of facts." "The land was earlier belonging to them, but they had long ago sold it to other people. When the issue went to the social justice and welfare department, we gave a proper reply that the land did not belong to Nadiya.The case was decided at the mamlatdar level twice and once at the collector level," added Swaroop.