Governent of Gujarat disregards the HC stay order on Dholera SIR: Blatant illegality and unconstitutionality on display
Khedut Samaj-Gujarat
Press note:
Governent of Gujarat disregards the
HC stay order on Dholera SIR: Blatant illegality and unconstitutionality on
display
The 22 villages
falling in the proposed Dholera SIR area have been agitating since the last 4
years. Their peaceful and non-violent struggle has gone unheeded by the
Governent of Gujarat. The protest has received the support of Khedut Samaj –
Gujarat and Jameen Adhikar Andolan Gujarat (JAAG).
The local farmers and the
Khedut Samaj – Gujarat have challenged the DSIR and the SIR Act 2009 (under
which the DSIR has been declared) it through a PIL in the HC of Gujarat (no.
227/2014). On 10th December 2015 the Hon’ble HC of Gujarat granted a stay order
and asked the GoG to maintain status quo with regard to the land i.e. directed the
GoG not to proceed with land acquisition or related activities.
Despite a clear cut
order, the GoG and the agencies to which it has outsourced the work are
striving to continue the work of land measurement, which is in direct violation
of the court order. Such incidents have happened thrice already in the last 10
days, when the company’s officials have visited the land and the people have
thrown them out of their land.
When the GoG is hell-bent on disregarding the
court orders, can the people be expected to remain patient? It is possible that
the GoG is deliberately trying to precipitate a crisis under the pretext of
which to crush the farmers’ agitation. Or, is it that the GoG is trying to tell
the people: “I am the monarch of all I survey, my right there is none to
dispute”; High Court orders do not bother us, we will do as we wish. If so,
then the state of Gujarat is displaying its undemocratic and criminal core,
pushing the state towards anarchy.
(Sagar Rabari)
Secretary, Khedut
Samaj-Gujarat