The neoliberal economic policies that India adopted in the early 1990s are increasingly visible at their aggressive best. The Jawahar National Urban Renewal Mission, initiated by the Government of India, is all set to change the urban face of India to suit private entrepreneurship and foreign investment in the country.
Hyderabad has become one of the favorite laboratories for the new economic experiments. Here a golf course is more important than cultivated lands which are the only source of livelihood to dozens of farmers. Recently, the farmers were served with notices asking them to quit their lands to make way for a golf course near the historic Golconda Fort. About 120 acres of cultivable land was acquired for the sake of Tourism department. While even the government rates would fetch the farmers a handsome amount of about Rs.45 lacs per acre, the government offered them a paltry compensation of Rs.80,000 per acre. The ‘elected people’s representatives’ remained understandably silent when the farmers cried for help.
Afzal, 'an activist by birth', mobilized the farmers for a protest meeting at the foundation-stone-laying ceremony. The farmers peacefully demonstrated their protest by sporting black flags and black badges. At long last, the District Collector agreed to constitute a committee to find ‘equal valuation land’ for the aggrieved farmers. These farmers on the fringes of this city are happy at this ‘victory’. Eight or nine years ago, these very people opposed the golf course itself. Let us hope their victory is for real!
Moral of the story: The poor in this country will have to wage many more battles in future.
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