A Century gone, India Gate farmer’s protest still on

100 years gone after shifting national capital from Calcutta to New Delhi, the farmers of Malcha village, had to give up their land where our pride Rashtrapati Bhavan and India Gate are located today. They are still fighting for the compensation of their land. It is a face of a welfare state of India. Finally they have decided not to celebrate Independence Day at a time when the nation feels itself 64 year old.

Now the farmers are located at a tiny village Malcha in the Sonipat district of Haryana. Ancestors of these villagers owned the 1,792 acres of land where Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament House and India Gate are located today. Between 1910 and 1912, the erstwhile British Empire acquired their land against a very low compensation of Rs 35 per acre for agricultural land and Rs 15 for non-agri land.

 At least 35 Jat families were deprived from compensation who owned approximately 500 acres. Some villagers have moved Tis Hazari corurt on 2004, claiming revised compensation for the land. The case has now moved to Patiala house court and next date of hearing is August 19th. They also produced a document, which shows how the compensation amount of 35 farmers deposited with the Bank of Bengal.

They were wronged by then British rulers but nothing could be rectified by the Indian government after the 64 years of independence. So for them, August 15th is a day for Protest.