Rally Demands Distribution of Bhoodan Lands to Landless Poor
Speakers at the rally highlighted that large tracts of Bhoodan land in and around Hyderabad are either illegally occupied by vested interests or are being targeted by corrupt elements. They accused revenue officials and concerned government departments of failing to take strict action against encroachments.
A large rally of landless poor was held on Sunday at Dharna Chowk in Hyderabad, demanding the immediate distribution of Bhoodan lands to homeless families in the city and surrounding villages.
The public meeting was presided over by Shanker Naik and inaugurated by former MP and senior CPI leader Syed Azeez Pasha. Addressing the gathering, Azeez Pasha criticised the government for neglecting the critical issue of land distribution, alleging that authorities have kept the matter “in cold storage” despite its urgency.
Speakers at the rally highlighted that large tracts of Bhoodan land in and around Hyderabad are either illegally occupied by vested interests or are being targeted by corrupt elements. They accused revenue officials and concerned government departments of failing to take strict action against encroachments.
The rally also revisited the historical significance of the Bhoodan Movement, initiated in 1951 by Vinoba Bhave. The movement began in Pochampally village when V. Ramchandra Reddy donated 100 acres of land, later increasing it to 800 acres. Over time, several prominent figures, including Maharaja Kamakhya Singh and the Raja of Ranka, contributed vast landholdings, while Mir Osman Ali Khan donated 14,000 acres from his personal estate. Veteran leader Jayaprakash Narayan also joined the movement in 1953 and worked extensively for land collection and redistribution.
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Despite these efforts, speakers noted that only about 28 percent of the approximately four million acres collected under the movement has been distributed so far.
Shanker Naik stated that Telangana currently has around 1.79 lakh acres of Bhoodan land, with nearly 22,000 acres located in the outskirts of Hyderabad. He emphasised the urgent need to re-establish the Telangana Bhoodan Yagna Board to ensure proper identification and distribution of these lands.
Several activists, including Giri Prasad, Sudha, Sahel Begum, Purshottam, Md. Shabbir, and Asif, also addressed the gathering, calling for immediate government action to safeguard Bhoodan lands and allocate them to deserving beneficiaries.
The rally concluded with a strong appeal to the state government to act swiftly and ensure justice for the landless poor.
