While the government claims that the amendment has been enacted in the interests of the tenants, whereby cases would be transferred from the Mamlatdar courts to civil courts, opponents argue that it is a conspiracy to delay and deny tenants of their land rights.
Ever since this amendment was passed late last year, people in Ponda taluka have been worried that they could lose their tenancy rights if they are made to file their cases in a civil court. They refuse to buy the government’s argument that civil courts would be beneficial to tenants, as such cases were being held up in the Mamlatdar’s offices.
Since the government passed the amendment to the Goa Agricultural Tenancy Act 2014, a number of meetings have been convened in various parts of Ponda taluka to mobilise public support to compel the government to withdraw the amendment.
Spearheading this movement in Ponda taluka is former chief minister and Bahujan Samaj leader Ravi Naik, who had, incidentally, led the Mundkarial movement in Goa a few decades ago.
Naik complained that not a single MLA had objected to the amendment to protect the rights of tenants.
“The amendment must be withdrawn and appointing more Mamlatdars is the only solution. The sole aim of the Act was to give justice to the tillers, as most of the time the landlords would reap the benefits of farmers who would toil in the fields,” said Naik.
“Goa’s first chief minister Dayanand Bandodkar, and later his daughter and former chief minister Shashikala Kakodkar, brought about an amendment in 1976, making tenants the deemed owners of the land. The Mundkars were also protected from eviction. The present amendment is nothing but a backdoor entry to the landlord,” said Naik.
Agrees UTTA Convenor Govind Gavde: “This amendment is in favour of landlords. Though the government claims there are around 5000 pending Mundkarial cases, I suspect that there are 60,000 tenants, of which many have not even filed an application for tenancy rights.”
“The government should immediately withdraw the amendment to remove the fear among tenants. The law should be amended to provide them with rights to their land and homes. Instead of shifting the matter to the civil courts, the government should appoint more Mamlatdars to handle these cases. UTTA has already submitted a memorandum to the Governor to reconsider her approval to this Act,” Gavde said.
