“Tribals are not against the Statue of Unity but are protesting illegal land acquisition in the name of tourism,” one activist said.
Ahemdabad: On Tuesday tribals living near the Statue of Unity, a memorial of Sardar Patel in Gujarat’s Kevadiya district, claimed the state government was “snatching their ancestral land” for tourism projects despite a High Court order to maintain status quo.
Addressing a press conference with several aggrieved tribals from six villages, former Gujarat chief minister Suresh Mehta said the BJP government in the state had also backtracked on promises to provide jobs or alternate land to project-affected people.
Mehta said he is associated with ‘Lokshahi Bachao Andolan’, an umbrella outfit of social activists. “The state government had promised that for every person evicted, seven would be given jobs. But nothing sort of thing has happened,”.
One of the activists, Pravinsinh Jadeja, claimed only private players benefited from the Statue of Unity project.
“Despite the Gujarat High Court ordering a stay on land acquisition, tribals are being forcibly evicted. Tribals are not against the Statue of Unity but are protesting illegal land acquisition in the name of tourism. Tribals must be given jobs if the government wants to acquire their lands,” said Mr. Jadeja.
Tribals are claiming that projects near the Statue of Unity were affecting 8,000 persons from Navagam, Kevadiya, Gora, Limbdi, Vagadiya, and Kothi, this is alleging that the government had not paid any compensation.
Officials ran a bulldozer on standing crops in his field, while another, Shakuntala Tadvi of Kevadiya village said, despite assurances from the government, her sons still have no jobs.
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