Land Acquisition at mid night.

New method of land acquisition has been explored. When armed police violently came at 4 A.M in the morning to acquire land, the common people--women and children were the worse hit. About 10-15 people were hurt when the local officials 'lathi-charged' at the people who were protesting. As part of 'anti land acquisition' protest, the rural people had made a human wall to resist acquisition. Local people grew 'betel leaves' as it was their source of livelihood. But a privately owned steel plant in their locality needs the land cultivated by them. The people were part of movement against land acquisition. When they opposed the acquisition physically by making a "human wall", they did not expect that the police would pounce on their with their "lathis" They were removed and land was acquired for the steel plant, POSCO. Their betel leaf vines were removed physically and the land was cleared. For last one and a half years, people have been opposing it as it would affect their livelihoods; betel leaf farmers cannot work in steel plants. They were given cheques for their lands immediately. Such action for land acquisition was hated by the Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti(PPSS) But nothing can be done when they are physically removed from their lands.Already 2000 acres have been acquired and 700 more acres are left which the natives do not want to give up. These pieces of land provided livelihoods and residence to so many people; after becoming a steel plant the private firm(made from the land) would employ only few people but would make big profits. Steel plant would employ skilled people from somewhere else.Locals would be then left out.
When people are evicted in the name of development,it is very painful. Is development against the people for whom it is meant for? Where will these people live when removed from their lands? What will they do for a living? They only know how to farm betel leaves.
Development brings comforts for the urbanites--piped water, electricity, good roads, good schools, shopping malls etc. What does it bring for the rural people? landless ness. They are now nomads who have no place to go. Is this what future India going to be like? If people's rights are transgressed on the name of development, is development worth it?