Kristie5701 at 16:43, 11 April 2026

2026-04-11T16:43:49Z

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{{Short description|Protests in Daman district, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}
On 3 November 2019, Daman [[District magistrate|Collector]] Rakesh Minhas issued a [[Unlawful assembly#India|Section 144]] order banning assembly of four or more persons, slogan-shouting and the use of loudspeakers across the entire [[Daman district, India|district of Daman, India]] and ordered the conversion of Government High School, Bhimpore and the Government Sarvottam High School, Moti Daman into 'temporary jails'.<ref>{{Cite web|last=The Wire|first=Staff|date=4 November 2019|title=Daman: Section 144 Imposed, Two Government Schools Converted Into 'Temporary Jails'|url=https://thewire.in/rights/section-144-daman-protests-evictions|access-date=2021-03-02|website=The Wire|language=en}}</ref> This was in response to a land ownership dispute between the local indigenous fishing community and the [[List of administrators of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu|local administration]] that had confiscated their land and bulldozed their homes. The ensuing protest resulted with the detention of 70 protesters in the 'temporary jails' and another 8 arrests. Few of the [[adivasi]] fisherfolk were rehoused whilst most languished traumatised and homeless on the streets near the rubble of their razed homes.
[[File:Harbour View from Moti Daman Fort.jpg|thumb|right|Harbour View from Moti Daman Fort]]

==Demolition of indigenous people's homes==
Valuable seafront land along the {{convert|700|m|adj=on}} stretch from Moti Daman Lighthouse to Jampore beach is claimed to be owned by [[adivasi]] fishing communities who have lived there for generations as well as by [[Non-resident Indian and person of Indian origin#Non-resident Indian (NRI)|NRI]] Damanese predominantly living in [[Leicester]], [[United Kingdom|UK]].
[[File:Daman 01012012 217.JPG|thumb|right|Jampore Beach in Daman]]

In December 2018, local residents received official looking documents purportedly instructed by [[Praful Khoda Patel]] ordering the confiscation of the land and ordering the demolition of the homes to make way for development.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Uppal|first=Jas|date=6 January 2020|title=Daman – Land and Property Owned by the Fishing Communities Confiscated and Homes Demolished|url=https://www.justiceupheld.org.uk/daman-land-and-property-owned-by-the-fishing-communities-confiscated-and-homes-demolished/|access-date=2021-03-02|website=Justice Upheld|language=en}}</ref>

With 11,000 Damanese living the [[Leicester East (UK Parliament constituency)|Leicester East constituency]], members of the community approached their [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|MP]] [[Keith Vaz]], who flew out to Daman to meet the [[List of administrators of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu|Administrator]] [[Praful Khoda Patel]]. In January 2019 Vaz reported back that, "I had a very constructive discussion with Mr Patel. I believe that Mr Patel has a vision for Daman and he wants to develop it as a tourist and education centre. I was particularly impressed by the commitments made by [[Prime Minister of India|Prime Minister]] [[Narendra Modi]] in order to enhance the development of Daman. Mr Patel promised that there would be no further demolitions until after the court has made its ruling and that he would talk to me about any further matters concerning this issue. I welcomed his constructive and positive approach."
<ref>{{Cite web|last=Vaz|first=Keith|date=15 January 2019|title=Keith Vaz in plea to stop demolition in Daman|url=https://www.asian-voice.com/News/UK/Keith-Vaz-in-plea-to-stop-demolition-in-Daman|access-date=2021-03-02|website=Asian Voice|language=en}}</ref>

On 1 November 2019 with [[Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu Police|Police]] assistance, Rakesh Minhas oversaw the bulldozing of around 90 homes that the [[List of administrators of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu|local administration]] stated were illegally constructed.

==Protests==
The newly evicted residents erupted in street protests prompting local MP Lalu Patel to write to the [[District magistrate|Collector]] requesting that they "be restored their homes at the very sites they were razed, on humanitarian grounds". Rakesh Minhas retorted that they may apply for a 20-year housing loan under [[Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana|PMAY-U]].
The following day people engaged in peaceful protest and sat on the road at Ram Setu area. Upon approach of the authorities the protesters demanded alternative houses or flats but the authorities spoke with them and convinced them to go away.

By 3 November, local residents joined the homeless families for peaceful protest near the football ground and shouted slogans critical of [[District magistrate|Collector]] Rakesh Minhas. Minhas responded by issuing a [[Unlawful assembly#India|Section 144]] order banning peaceful assembly of four or more persons, slogan-shouting and the use of loudspeakers across the entire district and ordered the conversion of Government High School, Bhimpore and the Government Sarvottam High School, Moti Daman into 'temporary jails'.<ref name=":0" />

On Monday 4 November 2019 Rakesh Minhas called a press conference and announcing - "We have removed 90 houses that were built illegally on the coastal area on the road from Jampore to the lighthouse. Those who lost their houses can apply for houses at the Collector’s office under [[Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana|PMAY-U]]. We will also arrange for the cheapest loans to the beneficiaries... There are some houses under [[Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana|PMAY-U]] ready for which the affected families would be considered on priority." Authorities then used water cannons to disperse the protesters from the football ground. With the protesters unmoved police resorted to a violent [[Baton charge#Post-1947|lathicharge]] detaining protesters at the 'temporary jails'.

By the afternoon a large group of women protesters had gathered on the road at Ram Setu area. [[Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu Police|Police]] warned the protesters to leave but they didn't budge so police detained them with 70 people kept at the 'temporary jails' until evening. Eight were arrested under IPC 188, 143 and 149 and released on bail later.

The following day 25 [[Daman, India|Daman]] [[Municipal council (India)|Municipal Council]] members with four [[Sarpanch]] from different villages travelled to meet Rakesh Minhas but were denied permission.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Express|first=News Service|date=5 November 2019|title=Demolition of houses: Section 144 in Daman after residents protest|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/ahmedabad/demolition-of-houses-section-144-in-daman-after-residents-protest-6103699/|access-date=2021-03-02|website=Indian Express|language=en}}</ref>

==Aftermath==
The eviction victims were mostly vulnerable, uneducated, disabled, very old or very young and are left on the streets to fend for themselves. They were poorly positioned to assert their rights with many currently living on the streets near their demolished homes traumatised by their experience. The few that were offered alternative homes currently being built further inland from their demolished homes are required to pay towards the costs of the houses and monthly rent but do not have the means to do so.

The families affected have received exposure from the UK government [[Charity Commission for England and Wales|registered]] human rights charity, Justice Upheld, who estimated that 200,000 people may be affected over time. They state that the [[List of administrators of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu|local administration]] have no legal right to confiscate their land and demolish their homes. They were not consulted and no attempt was made to contact them. Their possessions were destroyed, notice was not given and legal process was not followed. Public and personal records prove the families are registered and they have been paying property tax for their land and properties to the Daman Municipal Council for generations. Their property ownership was again confirmed upon the granting of [[Aadhaar]] ID cards by the [[Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology|government]] requiring verification of identity and property ownership. Despite legitimate ownership the land is not formally registered on the Government's central land records and is ‘unregistered’ land and property and open to exploitation. Registration involves a formal investigation and a lengthy legal process which can be costly.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Uppal|first=Jas|date=6 January 2020|title=Daman – Land and Property Owned by the Fishing Communities Confiscated and Homes Demolished|url=https://www.justiceupheld.org.uk/daman-land-and-property-owned-by-the-fishing-communities-confiscated-and-homes-demolished/|access-date=2021-03-02|website=Justice Upheld|language=en}}</ref>

As of March 2021 the site is now The Fern Seaside Luxurious Tent Resort offering tourist accommodation for US$80/£57[[Pound sterling|GBP]]/6000 rupees per night. Billionaire [[Binod Chaudhary]], [[Nepal]]'s wealthiest person, owns the Fern brand via his multi-national conglomerate [[Chaudhary Group#Hotels|CG Corp Global]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/services/hotels-/-restaurants/cg-corp-global-plans-79-fern-hotels-resorts-in-india-by-2020-end/articleshow/66793806.cms|title=CG Corp Global plans 79 Fern Hotels & Resorts in India by 2020-end|newspaper=The Economic Times}}</ref>

==Land Records Improvement Programmes==
The Indian government has been trying to resolve the poor quality of land records since 1988 with little success.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Sreevatsan|first=Ajai|date=22 December 2020|title=How poor land records add to farm frustration|url=https://www.livemint.com/news/india/farm-frustration-is-linked-to-land-record-missteps-11608568314500.html|access-date=2021-03-02|website=Live Mint|language=en}}</ref> [[Digital India Land Record Modernization Programme]] was to resolve this but has experienced significant shortcomings. A huge number of land disputes are pending in the courts. Of the nearly one million (10 lakh) civil court cases were pending, 60 per cent are more than one year old, 34 per cent are over three years old and 20 per cent cases are over five years old.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Pandey|first=Subhash Chandra|date=14 November 2020|title=Manage land records better|url=https://www.dailypioneer.com/2020/columnists/manage-land-records-better.html|access-date=2021-03-02|website=The Pioneer|language=en}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Food security]]
* [[Food sovereignty]]
* [[Illegal construction]]
* [[Land grabbing]]
* [[land law#land rights|Land rights]]
* [[Land titling]]
* [[Sustainable development]]
* [[Water right]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
*[https://dmcdaman.in/ Official Website]
*[http://www.alfredobini.com/report/LAND-GRABBING-OR-LAND-TO-INVESTORS/ Land Grabbing or Land to Investors?], Alfredo Bini photojournalist. See also the documentary: [https://vimeo.com/106401259/ Land Grabbing or Land to Investors?]
*[http://www.oxfamamerica.org/take-action/campaign/food-farming-and-hunger/land-grabs/ The Truth About Land Grabs], ''[[Oxfam America]].'' See also: [http://www.oxfam.org/en/campaigns/about-grow About GROW], ''[[Oxfam]]''
*[http://www.tni.org/primer/global-land-grab/ Transnational Institute, Global Land Grab: A primer]
*[http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/2008/grain281008.html Seized! The 2008 Land Grab for Food and Financial Security], ''[[Monthly Review|Monthly Review Magazine (MRzine)]]''
*[http://monthlyreview.org/2013/11/01/twenty-first-century-land-grabs/ Twenty-First-Century Land Grabs] (November 2013), [[Harry Magdoff#Death|Fred Magdoff]], ''[[Monthly Review]],'' Volume 65, Issue 06
*[http://katapult-magazin.de/en/artikel/article-katapult/fulltext/who-is-buying-the-earth/ Illustration - Who is buying the earth?] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160723082120/http://katapult-magazin.de/en/artikel/article-katapult/fulltext/who-is-buying-the-earth/ |date=2016-07-23 }}, Katapult-Magazine (14.03.2015)
*[https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/India-largely-a-country-of-immigrants/article15127444.ece Adivasi are the real inhabitants of india: Supreme court]

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[[Category:Daman, India]]
[[Category:Protest marches in India]]
[[Category:Agrarian politics|Daman indigenous land clearing protests, 2019]]
[[Category:Anti-corporate activism]]
[[Category:Neocolonialism]]
[[Category:Rural community development]]
[[Category:Homelessness]]
[[Category:Poverty in India]]
[[Category:Corruption in India]]
[[Category:Street children]]
[[Category:Debt bondage in India]]
[[Category:Human rights abuses in India]]
[[Category:Nonviolent resistance movements]]
[[Category:November 2019 in India]]
[[Category:2019 in Indian politics]]
[[Category:Adivasi|*]]
[[Category:Indigenous peoples of South Asia]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in India]]
[[Category:Scheduled Tribes of India]]

2019 Daman indigenous land clearing protests - Revision history

Kristie5701 at 16:43, 11 April 2026