Farmers take to unique protest to save their land

Jaipur, Oct 4 (IANS) Some farmers have been staging a unique protest -- Zameen Samadhi Satyagraha -- for the last three days in Ninder village near here to oppose acquisition of land by the Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) for a residential project.

As part of the protest, which was preceded by a 14-day dharna (sit-in), the farmers have "buried" themselves in neck-deep pits.

"We started our 'Zameen Samadhi Satyagraha' on October 2 and at present, at least 50 farmers have buried themselves neck-deep in pits. Nearly half of these 50 persons are women," Nagendra Singh Shekhawat, convenor of Ninder Bachao Yuva Kisan Sangarsh Samiti, told IANS.

He said these farmers, who participated in the protest on a daily rotation basis, came out of the pit only to attend nature's call every day.

"We will continue with the agitation till our demand is met," Shekhawat said.

"We are against the acquisition of land by the JDA... we want the acquisition revoked," said a farmer "buried" neck-deep in a pit.

As per the plan, the JDA was to acquire over 1,300 bighas of land to develop a housing scheme here. So far, it has taken possession of 600 bighas of land.

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