1. The Trajectory of TAMILNADU LAND RIGHTS FEDERATION

2. Broken people A brief on Dalit communities
Agriculture, village structures, private property, etc.
Social Exclusion based on decent
Discrimination, marginalisation and occupation based violations
Sanctioned and justified by religious hegemony
Belief in Karma - destiny

3. Political economy of Dalits
Slavery based on caste
Major work force
Labour capital and key source in food production
Landless through enforcement and belief of rigid system
Reward attached to conformity and punishment for change.
Beaten to death, starving to death, sexual abuse, negation of knowledge, bonded labour, etc

4. Land entitlements
Panchami land allocation with conditions by the colonial government

5. Loss of control over land
Allocated, not occupied or transferred due to ……………….

6. Emergence of Ambedkar Peravai
Villupuram riots 1978
Popular reassertions by Dalit communities for dignity and identity in the region.
Iconisation of Dr.B.R.Ambedkar (the chief architect of the Indian Constitution)
Formation of Ambedkar Peravai (Forum) and Ambedkar Mandrams (Associations – clubs)in the region
Establishment of registered legal entity – IRDS (Integrated Rural Development Society) in Villupuram

7. Popular awareness on Land
A new beginning of popular awareness on Land entitlements among Dalits (inclusion of non-traditional communities in village administration and revenue matters – new VAOs in 1987)
Land owners, commons, boundaries, resources, fish, etc.
Rediscovery of Panchami Land and emergence of reclamation lobbies
Advocacy actions leading to John Thomas and Elumalai killings in Karanai, then Chengalpattu District in1994

8. Establishing Dalit Land Rights Federation (DMK) in Northern districts
Origin of DMK and its rational
Actions

9. Entry of Neo Liberal policies (1990s)
The introduction of Neo Liberal economic policy and programmes…
Industry and economic growth takes precedence over people’s life (Habitation, culture, displacement, negation)
Structural Adjustment Programmes
Single window clearance
Land Acquisition Act
Entry of mega projects
Special Economic Zones
Nuclear plants, Thermal plants, Hydro projects

10. Official Land and resource grabbing
Land policies in the name of progress and development
Forest Act - Legislations
Coastal Regulation Zone - Legislations
Land Acquisition Act – Legislations
Containing the geo-cultural population into smaller geography

11. Widespread growth centric violations
Agitations and actions against land grabbing, resource grabbing taken up by various movements, individuals and communities - Tribals, fisher and coastal people struggle, forest dwellers, dalits struggle
Mining – Major and minor minerals
Highway and Road expansion projects
PPP centric mega projects
Industrial corridors
Tourism projects and Wildlife sanctuaries

12. TNLRF – Collective response
Politicizing the resources and addressing the issue collectively.
Sensitivity on the regional habitats and eco- systems
Significance of geo-cultures
Challenging the trickle-down model
Challenging map nationalism
Revisiting administrative concepts and language
Reaching out to other struggles – solidarity building

13. Prepared by
C. Nicholas
L.A. Samy
Sundara Babu