The people of Meghalaya generally have the tendency to believe that their state and they, as citizens of this state, are quite advanced and developed in comparison to others. This is the general impression people carry and are proud of. Unfortunately this faith is not open to scrutiny. It falters and crumbles when confronted with facts and figures of serious research. Surveys conducted on a national and regional level show that either we are last in every indicator of development or at best, second last. Education wise, health wise and governance wise we stand nowhere in comparison to others. India Today, State of the States report 2016, in the overall ranking in social development for small states, Goa ranks first at No 1 with Meghalaya last at No 10. In reported rape and atrocities against women cases, Meghalaya ranks a dubious 1st, outranking even Delhi or other notorious North Indian states. In ‘best performing small states’ we came last but with a doubtful ‘improved performance’ on education in the small states category. Frankly speaking it’s nothing to write home about. Actually it’s something to be acutely ashamed of. There is need for serious introspection on the status of development in Meghalaya.
So where have we gone wrong? Any serious research into the failure of sustainable development in the state of Meghalaya will come up with a startling finding – leading lights of Meghalaya society, especially those identified as ‘yet unelected’ leaders, are dead set against development! This Dear Readers is the undiluted truth as it has never been told before. Either they don’t understand what development means or they are mortally scared that if it takes place; if an atmosphere of contentment, satisfaction and prosperity were to take place in Meghalaya, their (the unelected leader’s) very own existence becomes redundant; the rationale for their continuance superfluous. Of course no one will ever admit this fact.
However, these leading lights can easily be identified. They are the pressure groups, the Autonomous District Councils and the traditional leaders that dot the Meghalayan landscape. They strut about, chests out and head held high in their star status role as saviours of society. They thrive and survive because ‘Fear’ is the brand name of the product they sell to the people. They sell the idea that the past and tradition should be rigid and non negotiable and if we let go, then we are finished as a society. To such people planning for the future is perilous and dangerous. Fear in turn has robbed the people of Meghalaya of the power to think but Fear sustains these saviours. Fear is the key for their survival. A new product to save our indigenous society is called for. ‘Hope’ should be its name. Hope should replace Fear. Hope should bring out leaders who will lead from the front. Time to start a rethink. Time to dump nonsensical, dangerous and outmoded leaders who manufacture fear! Time for leaders wearing the uniform of Vision and Hope to step forward!
Within the context of development, land is a prerequisite. No development can take place without land. Those without land find it difficult to achieve development. Now according to the peddlers of fear, land should remain an inflexible and non negotiable aspect of life. They have offered stiff resistance to any attempt for a cadastral survey of land. Such leaders fight shy of any move towards the introduction and maintenance of land records. People are panicked into thinking that land survey and records will intrude and mess up the traditional land tenure system of these hills. People are given to believe that land survey means forfeiture of their land. On closer inspection we find that a rigid traditional land tenure system without attempts to improve through adjustments with the demands of changing times has instead negatively impacted on social equity within this so called egalitarian society of ours. Rigid tradition has only benefited the rich and the powerful. Inflexible tradition has made the poor poorer. They have been sold down the drain.
Khasis pride themselves of a land tenure system that proclaims the existence of community land holdings (Ri Raid). Ri Raid land protects the interest of the poor. It ensures no one remains landless. Ri Raid ensured that the poor had equal access to land as the rich. Today, except for some isolated cases here and there, the concept of Ri Raid has become a myth. Because of the absence of land records; the absence of cadastral maps; because of ever increasing appreciation and value of land; because of a weak, intransparent and greedy traditional governance system at the grassroots, community land has quickly and easily mutated into private holdings. The author as CEO of the IFAD project in West Khasi Hills was shocked to come across landlessness on such an unimaginable scale. Huge tracts of cultivable land owned by absentee landlords living in Nongstoin, Mairang or Shillong and farmed by landless tenants. Insecure land tenancy has become the lot of the poor in Khasi Hills. The concept of helping BPL farmers becomes meaningless as they have no secure tenancy over their land. Rigid and visionless tradition is perpetuating Feudalism in our rural areas; its making the poor poorer; and this is what the saviours of tradition are so loathe to change!
Now the champions of tradition are out to maintain and defend a traditional system of land documentation that has sown so much confusion, chaos and disorder among the land owners of Meghalaya. There seems to be an ostrich like approach to prevailing reality as far as documentation of land in Meghalaya is concerned. Firstly many landowners still depend on the so called Patta to uphold their right of ownership over the land they own. They have been encouraged to register their land with the Raid, the Hima or the ADCs. They are discouraged to register with the Deputy Register in the DCs office. The time has come to set the record straight in the interest of the bewildered and perplexed land owner. The Indian Registration Act by virtue of Para 12 A of the 6th Schedule makes all other Acts on the same subject in Meghalaya null and void. Registration of land with the DC provides one with the only legally titled ownership document over the land. The Patta and registration with any other authority simply provides one with a record of rights but no entitlement.
In view of the above, news items appearing with calls for amending the Indian Registration Act makes no sense. The common man will not be benefitted. It will simply compound the confusion already prevailing. As a matter of fact what is needed is a drive for a GPS aided cadastral survey of all land within Meghalaya. Government should come out with a declaration that it will facilitate such survey at Govt expense. A firm official assurance should be given to the effect that (a) such documentation of land will not mean Govt takeover of private, public land or raid land. (b) That land documentation will not lead to imposition of land revenue or land tax. This declaration is necessary to counter the reactionary ‘Fear brigade’. Land documentation and registration will instead prevent the illegal practice of double or triple sale of the same plot of land. It will eliminate unnecessary land disputes. It will legally strengthen entitlement of ownership over land. It will be the first step towards equitable sustainable development where private ownership can comfortably co exist cheek by jowl with traditional community ownership of land in our state. In the interest of practical tradition we must demand for its immediate implementation.
