Madhya Pradesh: In a video filmed inside the Collectorate office in Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh, an elderly farmer named Shankarlal, dressed in a tattered dhoti, is seen rolling on the floor with his hands folded, repeatedly asking, "What should we do now?" The distressed farmer is appealing for help against the illegal takeover of his land by a local mafia. Despite numerous complaints, Shankarlal claims no action has been taken, leading him to this dramatic protest to attract attention.
Shankarlal voiced his frustration, saying, "I am troubled by the land mafia. The Tehsildar makes a mistake, and the farmer suffers. They make the mistakes, and I face the repercussions. I am dissatisfied with both the government and the administration. The officers here are corrupt. We are deeply troubled... farmers are being deceived."
In response, District Magistrate Dilip Yadav stated, "All cases presented during public hearings are resolved promptly."
On Tuesday, a large number of people attended the public hearing, where their issues were addressed as much as possible. The administration also reviewed cases from previous hearings.
The local administration clarified that Shankarlal still holds possession of the disputed land. Currently, Shankarlal and his family, including Anokhilal, Bhagwan Bhai, and Resham Bhai (sons of Phoolchand), as well as Baba Ghasiram, Karu Lal, Ramlal, Prabhu Lal, Mangi Bai, and Parvati Bai (children of Ghati), maintain control over the land. It was noted that half of the land previously sold by sharecroppers remains with the original holders, not the buyer.
According to the Tehsildar's investigation report, based on local administration documents, Sukhad village has an area number 604, which includes 2.5 hectares of land, and survey number 625 comprises 1.01 hectares. The land is jointly held by Shankarlal's family and others.
Half of this land was sold to Ashwin, the son of Narayan Rao from Mandsaur, as per a sale deed dated December 31, 2010. The transfer was approved by the then Tehsildar of Sitamau in the 2010-11 transfer register. However, the sold portion of the land is still occupied by Karu Lal, Ramlal, Prabhu Lal, Mangi Bai, and Parvati Bai, who are resisting handing it over to Ashwin.