India: Protesters demand land and water

Tens of thousands of impoverished Indians plan to hold a massive protest in the national capital today to draw attention to the plight of those dispossessed of their land by recent economic development.

The flag-waving protesters ended a monthlong march yesterday, arriving in New Delhi in long lines, chanting “Give us land, give us water”.

The demonstrators say they have not only been left behind in the wake of India’s recent economic boom, but have suffered directly from the growth with many forced from their land to make way for government-backed economic projects.

“We don’t have food, land or water. We are going to Delhi to get this,” Rasi Ram told the CNN-IBN news channel.

India is trying to attract foreign investment to spur its economy and help develop its largely backward infrastructure. In part, it has chosen to do this by setting up Special Economic Zones, where companies get tax breaks to set up business and factories.

But critics say farmers are often forced from their land or cheated on its value when the area is acquired for these projects.

The government cancelled a plan to acquire 8,900 hectares (22,000 acres) of land in eastern India for a petrochemical plant and shipyard after the deaths of 14 farmers in clashes with police.

An estimated 27,000 people marched some 300 kilometres (185 miles) from the central city of Gwalior to New Delhi.

It’s not only economic developments that have forced the poor from their lands. Others say India’s vague property laws and endemic corruption allow them to be forced off their land by powerful local landowners.

“When these landowners see that someone strong is coming up to fight for his land rights they get them murdered,” Vishwas Prasad, a marcher told the NDTV news channel.