Civility Against Caste by Waghmore Suryakant

Author:Waghmore, Suryakant.
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sage Publications India Pvt, Ltd -- eBooks

Dalit encroachers of gaairan from K village were at the Tahasildar office as their affidavits of encroachments [referred to as ‘file’ by MHA workers which make it sound formal and important] were to be submitted to the Tahasildar. When Sadashiv (MHA worker) asked the Tahasildar to cooperate with the poor encroachers, the Tahasildar in response asked the encroachers since when they were cultivating the land, to which one of them replied fifteen years [not realizing that post-1990 encroachments are illegal]. Sadashiv on the other hand, intervened showing the Tahasildar a letter from the District Collector requiring all the Tahasildars to ‘verify’ all the encroachments and legalize them if found to be legal [pre-1990]. After submitting the ‘files’, Sadashiv suggested the encroachers to pay the Talathi/Girdhawar7 some money if they come for field visits to survey and record the encroachments. The encroachers gave Sadashiv fifty rupees for what they called cha-pani (tea and water). Sadashiv did not ask for this money but did not refuse to take it either. (Field notes: 29 September 2008)

The MHA's focus is on getting the encroachments (both pre-1990 and post-1990) registered in the records of the revenue department by filing detailed affidavits regarding cultivation of gaairan lands by Dalits: activists from other organisations and political parties do not engage in such practices. Some Dalit encroachers hope to secure land through a new GR that will extend the date of regularisation beyond 1990, but based on the experience of the 1991 GR and its poor implementation, MHA activists try to persuade Dalits to file affidavits so that they have some proof of their gaairan possession. Dalit encroachers of gaairan generally remain flexible in their affiliation and participate in protest rallies of different Dalit political and non-political organisations.

Dalit cultivators of gaairan who do not have legal documents are under constant pressure both from the state and the dominant castes to vacate the land they cultivate. Destruction of crops or letting cattle loose to rampage crops, as well as threatening or resorting to violence, constitute some of the strategies the dominant castes resort to locally. Sustaining the cultivation or starting new cultivation on land thus requires constant encouragement. In the discourses of MHA, Dalits are motivated to cultivate land not only for economic purposes but also to gain swabhiman (self-respect).

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