BATHINDA: After Jumla Mushtarka Malkan (common village land), now the lands under various acts where tenants or cultivators are into possession of lands for decades but are not the owners, are on the radar of the protesting farmer group in Punjab. The farmer organisation BKU Ekta Ugrahan taking the lead in the fight for zameen (land), has decided to take it ahead on the lines of Pepsu Mujara lehar (movement for getting ownership rights to tenants) of 1930-40s. The land issue at Jeond village in district Bathinda has given the fodder to take the fight for lands at bigger levels. At Jeond village, the 717 acres of land under ‘Ala Malik Adna Malik’ act prevalent in early 1950s is under question. As per the act one third of share was to be kept by original owners (landlords) and two thirds by tenants or cultivators and one third share works out to be 717 acres in Jeond.
BKU Ekta Ugrahan aiming to intensify the fight, called a meeting of all the farmer organisations at Jeond on Wednesday (January 29) to support the cause and to identify such lands in nearly 700 villages in Punjab. The organisation has also given call for Jameen Sangram Conference in the village on February 13.
The original owners approached Punjab and Haryana high court and a bench of the Punjab and Haryana high court in its order on April 24, 2023, directed the authorities for consolidation within 6 weeks. When it was not done in the specified period, the petitioners filed the contempt of court petition on December 15, 2023.
The court in its order on January 8, 2025, directed the authorities to carry out the preparation/completion of revenue records followed by initiation of consolidation proceedings by January 30, 2025, and directed that Secretary, Department of Revenue, Punjab shall join the proceedings through video conferencing on the date fixed and in case he/she is unable to render any justifiable explanation, an amount up to Rs1 lakh would be ordered to be paid from his/her own pocket as litigation cost to the petitioner for delaying the proceedings in the contempt petition.
When the administration gone for consolidation demarcation on January 20, 2025, the farmers opposed it, and a showdown happened. The farmers started pakka morcha. Now amidst protests, the state revenue department has issued notification for land consolidation, paving way for demarcation of land.
“It is not matter of Jeond alone but such lands in thousands of acres are into nearly 700 villages where tenants have not got ownership rights and we will fight for them as the central government in its draft for national policy framework for agricultural marketing also mentions lands and we are against it”, said BKU Ugrahan leaders Joginder Singh Ugrahan and Jhanda Singh Jethuke. We have to save lands from going to big landlords or corporates, they added.
Earlier farmer groups are fighting to get ownership rights at Jumla Mushtarka Malkan lands for cultivators which also runs into thousands of acres.
It all starts in 1930s when the Pepsu Muzara (tenant farmers or sharecroppers) lehar started and the tenants started raising voice against Biswedari (big landlords). The biswedaris had taken control of lands being cultivated by small farmers (muzaras), who had to pay batai (crop share) to biswedaris after tilling the land. The batai had started from 2/3rd share and then Riyasti Praja Mandal started organizing tenants in several villages asking them to stop paying batai.
Many violent incidents happened in many villages over declining to pay batai. Going by it batai was reduced to half of the total crop named ‘banne utte adho adh’, then ‘kankoot’ system was adopted when standing crop was assessed, then came ‘thappa’ system upon harvesting persons of landlords used to earmark their share of crop.
In 1948 communist leader Teja Singh Sutantar formed Red Party which was supported by All India kisan sabha and praja mandal, they demanded land ownership rights to tilling peasants. During this period the Patiala and East Punjab states union (PEPSU) comprising 8 princely states was formed but the condition of peasants remained same. Freedom fighters and communist leaders Teja Singh Sutantar, Dharm Singh Fakkar, Jagir Singh Joga, Chajju Mal played big roles in the movement.
The violent police and army action at village Kishangarh in Mansa on March 19, 1949, came out turning point for ending of the tenancy system when four persons including Ram Singh Bagi were killed. Kishangarh after that is seen as beacon of farmer resistance and fight against feudalism and monarchy, tells Sukhdarshan Natt from CPI (ML) Liberation.
Amidst their fight the tenants got relief when they succeeded in enactment of the PEPSU occupancy tenants Act in 1953, allowing the tenants to become owners while abolishing the biswedari system.
“We take inspiration from the historic struggle of tenant peasants for gaining ownership rights and taking cue from that we are fighting to keep control of the lands which are being eyed by the corporates”, said Ugrahan.
Bathinda DC Showkat Ahmad Parray said notification for consolidation has been issued and demarcation of land will be done.
