WB: Santhal tribe strive for their land right in Bolpur

By Joymala Bagchi
Bolpur (West Bengal) [India], Apr 27 (ANI): The Santhal communities in West Bengal’s Bonerpukur Fangs village in Bolpur have complained of not receiving any legal documents of the land where they are residing.
“Our main problem is land. We have been staying here since ages however legally this land does not belong to us. We are yet to receive 'patta' (land lease). Although the state government had promised us several times, nothing happened in reality," said 32-year-old Ram Soren, currently pursuing B.Ed.
The Santals are the largest tribal community of India living in Jharkhand, West Bengal, Bihar, Orissa and Assam.
Lodo Tisco, an old man from the Santhal tribe, said, "I went to the administration several times but nothing fruitful happened. Where will I go if they (administration) ask me to leave from here?"
The village Bonerpukur Danga consists of more than 110 families who live in the forest land. Other than the land, they have a series of difficulties, of which the major issues are water, roadways and unemployment.
They earn their livelihood from farming – especially the paddy culture other than crafts and 100 days work which state government provides them.
"We are illiterate. We do not know much about voting but we have never missed our right to vote, however, it feels bad when the vote does not make any difference to us," said Parvati Murmu, a mother of three children.
Asansol, Baharampur, Burdhman (East), Bolpur, Ranaghat and Krishnagar from West Bengal will go for polling on April 29. (ANI)