THE two-day national convention and a photo feature organised by the Bhumi Adhikar Andolan on ‘Agrarian Crisis, Assault on Cattle Economy and Lynching of Dalits and Minorities’ was convened on March 20-21, with a victory note following the long march of farmers in Maharashtra and the acceptance of all their demands which evoked a sense of inspiration and energy among all those gathered in at the Constitution Club in New Delhi. The convention was convened in the context of the growing assault on cattle economy and violent mob attacks on dalits and minorities in the name of ‘cow protection’ that has seriously aggravated agrarian crisis. The plenary session began by paying homage to different people killed by so-called gau-rakshaks and in lynchings. Hannan Mollah, general secretary of AIKS gave an overview of the agrarian situation and assault on cattle economy. Speakers reinforced their faith that Bhumi Adhikar Andolan played a significant role in preventing the land acquisition ordinance from becoming an Act. Similarly the alliance would successfully resist the politically motivated policy of the ruling government of virtual ban on cattle trade which has an impact on overall cattle economy and supplementary sources of income for the farming communities. The first session was moderated by Vijoo Krishnan, joint secretary of AIKS and the second session was moderated by Vimal Bhai, a social activist.

In the first session Prem Singh Gehlawat of Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Mahasabha and Jay Karan Singh of Akhil Bharatiya Kisa Khet Mazdoor Sangathan and other social activists from different parts of the country put forward their views. In the session “Know Mewat” Moulana Hanif and Shifat Manager laid out the historical background and present day condition of Mewat region. In the second session Ashok Chauduri of the All India Union for Forest Working People, Teesta Setalwad of Citizens for Justice and Peace, Mujahid Nafees of Minority Coordination Committee, Satyavan of Akhil Bharatia Kisan Khet Mazdur Sangathan, Shiv Narayan of Agragami Kisan Sabha, Dayamani Barla of Adivasi Mul Nivasi Asthitwa Raksha Samiti, Prafulla Samantrae of Lok Shakti Abhiyan, Vikas Rawal, economist from JNU and others placed their views.

The fact finding report, prepared by senior advocates of Supreme Court, on the cases of mob lynching in Rajasthan and Haryana was released demanding the immediate arrest of the perpetrators, grant Rs 1 crore as compensation to the victim’s families and Rs 25 lakhs to those injured. It was also strongly put to amend the Cow Protection Act to allow purchase of unproductive animals along with ban on all unlawful organisation of cow vigilantes.

In the inaugural speech, Hannan Mollah stated how BAA was formed as a coalition of various social movements and peoples’ organisations as a resistance to the land ordinance introduced by the ruling government and was constituted in 2014.

Family members of victims from across the country recounted the horrific incidents and how the BJP ruled state governments had deliberately denied them justice. Azad khan from Jharkhand shared how the government did not help them and the police also refused to help. They were also promised compensation which never came. Anita Minjh, wife of Ramesh Minjh from Gadhwa district in Jharkhand and father of Riazzuddin, Roham Ali and mother Romena Khatun and father of Abu Hanifa Faizul and mother of Talim also shared their grief. Some family members were so aggrieved that they could not even speak. One of the speakers said that during the rule of Britishers, some tribes were seen as criminals, now the State looks at Muslims as criminals. When Umar was shot, no FIR was lodged even when his family went to the police thrice. Pehlu khan was transporting milch cows and was beaten to death and his money was snatched from him. Who is the criminal, they asked.

The second day of the convention was addressed by Medha Patkar, Kancha Iliah, Atul Anjan, and other social activists. Members of parliament and leaders from opposition parties, Sitaram Yechury, S Sudhakar Reddy, D Raja, Devarajan, Purushottam Sharma, Asit Bhattacharya, Elangovan, Sharad Yadav, DP Tripathi, Vijay Pratap, VM Singh, Dola Sen, and others addressed the afternoon session.