Dalits Protest Land Grab, Demand Fresh Survey Of Allotted Plots

USPA NEWS - After 24 days of continuous hunger strike at the Kadapa RDO office, Rayalaseema Communist Party (RCP) State Secretary Ravi Shankar Reddy escalated the Dalit land dispute to senior land survey officials in Mangalagiri, urging justice for Dalits whose government-allotted lands were allegedly usurped by upper caste individuals through manipulated records and a false survey.

“Even the Tahsildar, RDO, and RDT confirmed this land belongs to Dalits. Then how did a government record now reflect otherwise?” Ravi Shankar Reddy asked the officials.

Petition Submitted To Senior Survey Officials

On Tuesday, Reddy and members of the Dalit Tribal Rights Struggle Association met with Director of Land Survey, Nakkala Prabhakar Reddy, and Joint Director CHVSN Kumar at the Mangalagiri Land Survey Head Office. They submitted a detailed petition demanding urgent corrective action on land located at Survey No. 919/1, sub-divisions 1145 and 1146, in Old Kadapa.

“We have come from distant villages because no official has addressed our issue despite years of struggle,” said Reddy. “Now, after 24 days of hunger strike, we demand that justice be done.”

Government-Allotted Dalit Land Allegedly Transferred To Upper Castes

Reddy explained that in 2005, the government surveyed the land and allotted 55 cents each to seven Dalit farmers, who cultivated the land peacefully for 15 years. However, during the previous administration, the land allegedly changed hands and ended up with upper caste individuals.

“Even the Tahsildar, RDO, and RDT confirmed this land belongs to Dalits. Then how did a government record now reflect otherwise?” Reddy asked the officials.

Surveyors’ Findings Contradict Present Records

Both the Mandal Surveyor and District Surveyor had reaffirmed the land ownership belonged to the original Dalit allottees. Despite this, recent official records now show the land under upper caste control—raising serious concerns about document tampering and survey fraud.

Call For Re-Survey and Legal Action

Ravi Shankar Reddy demanded an immediate re-survey under the supervision of Director Nakkala Prabhakar Reddy and a thorough comparison of disputed land records. He further demanded disciplinary and legal action against government employees Subba Reddy and Nirmalamma, accusing them of deliberately misleading officials to help upper castes illegally claim the land.

“These employees must be held accountable for trying to rob Dalits of their rightful land,” he insisted.

Community Leaders Join The Delegation

The delegation included Venkateshu, Honorary President of the Dalit Tribal Rights Struggle Association, along with Obulesu, Balakrishna, and other activists. All demanded that the state uphold the sanctity of land reforms and protect Dalits' constitutional rights.