Charitable Society run-by ex-bureaucrats snatched our land, allege tribals in Attappadi

Attappadi: A group of tribals in Attappadi has alleged that their land has been taken away by a charitable society run by a former chief secretary, former KSEB chairman and former FACT chairman. The tribals complain  that 55 acres of land were purchased with forged documents. The police reportedly attacked the tribals for voicing against it.

Shree Vidyadhiraja Vidya Samajam, a registered charitable society, has denied any such fraudulent practice on its part. Established in 1975, the society owns and manages 16 schools, four colleges and four temples in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Retired IAS officer R Ramachandran Nair, was a member of this charitable society when the land was registered under it in 1980. Ramachandran Nair served as collector of Kannur and Kollam districts, managing director of Travancore-Cochin Chemicals, secretary to various departments and chief secretary to Kerala in different intervals.

Former chairman of KSEB RC Nair and former Chairman of Fertilizers and Chemicals Travancore Ltd (FACT), MKK Nair, were the founders of the charitable society. After all, renowned politicians and powerful bureaucrats have also been a part of the Shree Vidyadhiraja Vidya Samajam ever since it was established. Now the society is managed by Ramachandran's son, R Ajayakumar, secretary of the charitable society.

Mathrubhumi.com during a visit to Attappadi spoke to the tribals who raised the allegation. They claimed that the land belongs to them and they were freely using the land a few months ago.

“A few months ago, a team from the Human Resource Development Society (HRDS) came here to construct a boundary wall around the plot. It was then we came to know that they snatched our land. We all jointly protested against it, but were suppressed brutally with the help of police,” said VS Murukan, Vice-Chairman of Adivasi Action Council.

Murugan and Choriyan Moopan of Vattalaky hamlet, were arrested by the police on August 8, 2021 in connection with the cases registered under sections 341, 326, 294(b) and 34 of IPC.

“A large team of police under the leadership of Circle Inspector of Agali Police Station, Vinod Krishnan, entered tribal hamlets and forcibly arrested Murugan and his father by pushing his wife and mother and slapping his 16-year-old son on the ear. Murugan’s dhoti was pulled down and he was not permitted to urinate at the police station. The police were pushing and shoving Murugan as per the instruction of the CI. A false case was also fabricated against us,” said Choriyan Mooppan.

For arresting Murugan and Choriyan moopan from the hamlet, they used a team of 10 to 12 police officials.

Atrocities by police continued despite arresting them. As on August 13, Murugan’s wife Rajamani was attacked by a person who came in a Bolero car. A complaint was given to the police but no action has been taken so far.

The tribals here have also alleged that a team from HRDS also burned a hut used for agricultural purposes in the said land.

It was also alleged that the Shree Vidyadhiraja Vidya Samajam leased out the land to HRDS for a period of 33 years at a price of Rs 1,000 per acre for a year. However, this has been denied by KK Ramadasan, the counsel pleading for the charitable society.

“Without government approval, an agency cannot engage in such deals in Attappady tribal lands. The former sub-collector here had restricted such agreements as it violates tribal land laws. By entering into an agreement, HRDS and the charitable society violated all the rules,” said Seema Bhaskar, Mission Coordinator, National Rural Livelihood Mission.

The said land is situated in 10 survey numbers. The representatives of the Shree Vidyadhiraja Vidya Samajam told Mathrubhumi.com that the tribals make baseless claims without any authentic records in hand.

“We bought the land from around 20 people in 1980. As per Tribal Land Act 1975, all land transactions below 5 acres till 1986 January 21 are legally valid. If the transacted land is over five acres, the rest has to be restored to the tribals. We have not bought over five acres of land from any person, but together we have 55 acres. We have all proper records in our hand and the case is in the court,” said Ramadasan.

Contrary to this, the President of the charitable society K Raman Pillai, former BJP President, told Mathrubhumi.com that the land was donated to the society in 1980 by some people.

On the other hand, the tribals here have alleged that the documents were forged with the help of concerned officials using political and money power.

“This land belongs to 12 tribal families and we have all the documents with us. The society bought land from some other people; they are not the actual owners of the land. They must have forged the document. It was a few months ago, we came to know about the land transaction that took place four decades ago. We want our land back,” said Murugan.

The tribals have filed a case against the charitable society with Ottapalam RDO.

Alienation of tribal lands in Attappady is a common affair as there are thousands of tribals who complain about being cheated by a real estate mafia that works hand-in-glove with concerned officials to forge documents to snatch tribal lands. Nanchiyamma, who won the hearts of the entire Kerala folk through her song in the movie 'Ayyappanum Koshiyum', is also among the tribes who lost land.

Land alienation started years back

Land alienation in Attappady started decades back. The lands of tribals have been occupied forcefully by settlers with the help of a real estate mafia functioning here.

The tribes in Attappady are classified into three categories; Kurumba, Irula and Muduga. Kurumbas live deep inside the forests in 19 settlements of Pudur. Whereas, most of the Irula and Muduga populations live on revenue lands of Pudur, Agaly and Sholayur. A few among the settlements of Irula and Muduga are in forest lands.

There are 149 settlements for Irula and 24 for Muduga. In total there are 192 settlements. The people living in revenue lands are the victims of land alienation. Whereas, the tribes inside the forests get land for cultivation from the forest department but the custodian of the land remains the forest department only.

The entire Attappady region comprises 1,80,000 acres which belonged to Thathunny Mooppil Nair till 1960. Soon after the formation of the state of Kerala, nearly 35,000 acres of land was identified as reserve forest and the remaining became revenue land. The tribes of Attappady were given the right to live on the land. Meanwhile, many of them living in revenue land received pattayam. Forest department provided land for cultivation for tribes inside the forest as well.

“The acres of land in the hands of Attappady tribes was something lucrative for the real estate mafia here. By forging documents, they seize the lands of tribals without their knowledge. Those who resisted the moves of the real estate mafia were killed. There are many unsolved murder cases in Attappady. The entire government system here functions against the tribes,” said VS Murugan.