Matrika welcomes land seizure, asks squatters not to give up

[Rawthentic]

Matrika welcomes land seizure, asks squatters not to give up




Kantipur Report


BARA, Sept 24 - Maoist central leader Matrika Yadav on Wednesday suggested the landless squatters to seize land from what he called 'tyrants'. Speaking at a programme organised at Simara in Bara district today, Yadav said that he is ready to strike back those who try to get in the way of building huts in the land captured.

The firebrand Maoist leader, who resigned from the post of land reforms minister over the land seizure controversy in Sarlahi following his party's directive to publicly apologise, floated his plans to take over land of 'tyrants' and former royalties and distribute it to landless people. Moreover, Yadav thanked the squatter who captured land owned by former Princess Shanti Singh at Punaraha in Bara district and hailed those involved in the land seizure. He claimed that his leadership to capture private plots of land in Siraha district was not instigated by any ire. Meanwhile, Yadav denied that he was leaving the CPN-Maoist and planning to join, or form any outfit in the Terai. Expressing his concerns over the news published in a daily published from Birgunj, Yadav said that he would stay with his party even if it decides to take action against him.

[Rawthentic]

Nepal: Yadav resigns over land seizure controversy (http://southasiarev.wordpress.com/2008/09/22/nepal-yadav-resigns-over-land-seizure-controversy/)

Posted by n3wday on September 22, 2008
http://southasiarev.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/matrika_sk_1.jpg?w=272&h=350 (http://southasiarev.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/matrika_sk_1.jpg)
This article was made available by the Maoist Revolution (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MAOIST_REVOLUTION/?v=1&t=search&ch=web&pub=groups&sec=group&slk=1) mailing list.

Minister Matrika Yadav resigns over land seizure controversy

KATHMANDU, Sept 19 - Minister for Land Reforms and Management Matrika Yadav resigned from his post, on Friday, refraining from the Maoist central secretariat’s directives to publicly apologise for his involvement in the Siraha land seizure.
Minister Yadav tendered his resignation to Prime Minister Prachanda, who is also the chairman of the CPN-Maoist, immediately after the meeting today.


In his resignation, Yadav accused the CPN-UML and the MPRF—other main partners of the Maoist-led coalition government— of being anti-people and claimed that the UML appointed an Indian national as minister. He further stated that the government took to suppression of the Dalits and landless squatters and demolished the huts they built in the land of former royalty Mohan Shahi.

“Amid this situation when it is not possible to work to achieve the aspirations of the People’s War and the People’s Movement, fulfill the martyr’s dream and accomplish the party’s commitment, my morality does not let me to remain in the post of the minister,” the resignation addressed to the PM reads.


Earlier, the secretariat meeting held at the Prime Minister’s Residence in Baluwatar concluded that Minister Yadav’s obstreperous participation in the seizure of the private properties at Mirchaiya VDC in Siraha district was against the party policy. At the meeting, Yadav defended himself and claimed that he did not do any mistake.


Talking to the Kantipur FM after resigning, Yadav claimed that he was not directed to apologise.


“The party only suggested me to introspect. However, I decided to resign for the ease of the party to carry on the equation,” he said.


He further warned of an accident if the Dalits and landless squatters who have been occupying the land are evicted again.


When PM Prachanda was in India tour, Yadav had locked the horns with Acting Prime Minister and Home Minister Bamdev Gautam and the MPRF and recaptured the private plots of land and property immediately after the police administration demolished the huts built in the land and removed the forceful occupants.


The Maoists had distributed the land belonging to Birendra Sah, an MPRF supporter, to the Maoist cadres and landless squatters earlier.


Claiming that he was working for the people, Yadav yesterday had accused the home minister of being influenced by the `land-mafia’ and meddling with the prerogative of another ministry.

[Rawthentic]

This is a comment from a poster on South Asia Revolution website:
*******
arthur (http://www.nepalstudies.org/) Says:
September 23, 2008 at 6:38 pm (http://southasiarev.wordpress.com/2008/09/22/nepal-yadav-resigns-over-land-seizure-controversy/#comment-658)

Yadav has said that he’ll be continuing his campaigns for land reform outside of the CPN (M).
That isn’t what any of the reports say. He’s outside the cabinet, not outside the CPN(Maoist).


This isn’t the first time he’s resigned from a Ministry and may not be the last.


The CPN(Maoist) is the first party in the coalition government that has had to replace a Minister for failing to comply with cabinet policy. As the leading party it has set a good example of strictly applying a principle of cabinet solidarity which other parties will also be required to follow ;-)


It would be surprising if the mass land reform campaigns Matrika Yadav will continue to lead in the Madhesh are fully successful prior to integration of the two armies and federal restructuring of the state with a democratized and professional national army.
It would also be surprising if that does not cause far greater problems for the MJF party (led by Madheshi landlords, with a mass base of poor and landless Madheshi peasants) than it does for the Maoists.


On issues of federalism the Maoists and MJF should be able to take the UMLs further than they are naturally inclined to go.


On issues of land reform the Maoists and UMLs should be able to take the MJF further than they are naturally inclined to go.


It would be even more surprising if any party (including Congress and Royalists) thought it could further delay land reform supported by an overwhelming majority of the people in the autonomous Madheshi republic, once the national army includes large numbers of Madheshis and large numbers of Maoists from both Hills and Terai.


Meanwhile the coalition government parties have agreed on a transitional budget that includes deploying 35,000 literacy volunteers (9 per VDC) and balances a massive increase of expenditures on development measures that even the Congress and Royalists cannot oppose paid for by strict enforcement of revenue collection that threatens confiscation to compradors and bureaucrat capitalists who prefer to continue living off corruption while encouraging the choices open to those who prefer to become national industrial capitalists investing their wealth and paying their taxes to contribute to development during the transition.


These guys know what they are doing…

[Saorsa]

Lol that comment was a response to a comment from me, I was the one who said he'd be continuing his campaign outside of the CPN (M) (a mistake, I should have said outside of the cabinet).

The struggles within the Maoist party are fascinating, and I think it's really positive that Matrika is leading these struggles. I suspect that his resignation may well have been a manouvre of the Party so that it could push forward a radical land reform agenda, while still not endangering the government coalition.

[cyu]

his resignation may well have been a manouvre of the Party so that it could push forward a radical land reform agenda, while still not endangering the government coalition.

Hmm, interesting analysis. I hope it's true for the sake of the poor there.