Fifty-six-year-old Ramesh is distraught. The land that his family owned for more than 40 years has now been transferred to the Waqf Board. It has been more than a month since his property was taken away from him and Ramesh has been running from pillar to post to get his land back, trying all the legal routes to fight his case.
Ramesh’s father and uncle had purchased 3.76 acres of land in Veppur village in Ranipet district in 1980. After their death, the registration was transferred to 11 family members, including Ramesh, in 1998. Ramesh holds all documents related to the transfer of ownership of the lands since the 1950s.
In July last year, he received a call from the Revenue Divisional Officer asking him to produce the papers related to the land purchase. After turning in the records from as back as the 1980s, he was asked to submit documents from the 1950s. Five months later, he was asked to submit all the original documents at the district collector’s office.
“On December 19, we were asked to submit all the original documents. Two days later, the collector’s office issued a press statement that the land belongs to the Waqf Board. I was shattered. Why wasn’t I informed about this directly? I went to the collector’s office to explain my stand. There was no intimation before transferring our property. Two days later, the police came with earth movers to clear out my land. When I confronted the officers, they asked me to move the court,” Ramesh said.
Ramesh, with the help of a lawyer, wrote to the District Revenue Officer (DRO) but hasn’t received a response yet. He had also sent a petition to the collector who responded that his plea is ‘under consideration’.
Since December 21 last year, Ramesh has had no access to his land. After transfer to the board, the pump set that he had erected on the land has been removed, Ramesh said.
Ramesh’s ordeal is mirrored in the story of 62-year-old Palani. A worried Palani has five daughters and needs his 3.5 acres to support his family. He breaks down recounting the ordeal that he had to go through when teams were sent to take over his land.
“A few police officers entered our agricultural land. There were JCBs too. When I came to know that they are going to take away my land, I fainted. I told them this is my land. I also threatened them with taking my own life. Two of my daughters came to my rescue. They said they have no one but me. I have five daughters. I should get them married. Farming alone helps me earn a living. If not for this land, what will I do?” Palani asked.
Palani’s grief spreads to his nephew Jayaraj, standing by his side. “My grandfather bought the land from a person named Annamalai in 1983. I was six years old then. My family started cultivation five years later. On December 5 last year, we were told that this land doesn’t belong to us. We will never allow them to take away the land,” Jayaraj said.
Land owners in Veppur claim that the district administration failed to hold talks with them on the issue. Those who lost their lands say they were asked to submit original documents of the land registered since the 1950s.
Meanwhile, the Waqf Board argues that documentary evidence confirms its ownership of the land parcels in question. The authorities say villagers can take the legal route and challenge this before the court of law.
Abdul Rahman, Tamil Nadu Waqf Board chairman, told News18: “Of the 57 acres, some were disbursed to many individuals in the 60s and 70s. Apart from that, three-and-a-half acres were left, which belonged to the Waqf Board. Now, we found that the 3.5 acres belonged to some individuals. Government authorities have found that such mistakes happen in ‘patta’ registration. So they have cancelled it and renamed it with the Waqf institution. The government has taken all the legal measures and taluk officers were involved in finding out that this land belongs to the Waqf.”
While the board authorities empathise with the plight of the land owners, they see their action as encroachment.
“Nobody can claim that it belonged to some individual and that we have taken it. We have all the documents and proof. Anybody can come to the Waqf Board office and verify the matter. As per records, some portion of the land has been encroached upon for more than 60 years. Some people may be enjoying the encroached land. Now we have taken proper efforts to stop encroachments,” Rahman added.
The district administration of Ranipet has confirmed to News18 that they have sent a report to the relevant department in the government. B Vionth Kumar, Revenue Divisional Officer, said: “A report has been sent to the commissioner of land administration. A response from them is awaited. Only after their response, we will know the future course of action.”
For the residents of Veppur, the wrangle between land owners and the board has proven to be a cautionary tale. They need to reaffirm ownership back up to the 1950s and that land — no matter how concrete their proofs of ownerships are — can be taken away from them.
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