Hello all,  This is an update on the events in Beeladi after the violence of Nov 11. Please come to Beeladi on the 5th December if you can and show your solidarity.  Cases Registered: After the incident on the 11th, an FIR was registered under SC/ST Attrocities Act with 18 names of people involved in the violence. The first incident, breaking down the house and digging 10ft trenches in the fields, the reason why all this happened was left unaddressed..There was also a minor case registered against us.  The Dharna: On the 13th, we had a one day dharna outside the collecterate in Chittorgarh. All the Bheels, about 40 of them and aroudn 15 of us, karyakarthas sat all day infront of the collecterate and went to meet the collector and the SP.  The SP listened to us but insisted we talking about institutions and not castes. He promised the Bheels protection for a few days. The Collector was callous. The only thing he said was that "you must have thrown stones at them and that it why it turned violent".  Talk about compromise: There have been several attempts at compromise. An MLA and a sarpanch of a neighbouring panchayat Napavali came over to the office. They said they would assure the Bheels patta for land elsewhere and 2 houses under Indira Awas Yojna if they let the road run through their fields and the cases withdrawn.  Khemrajji asked them why they wanted to do that. If the original road plan made by PWD did not touch their homes or the fields, what is the need to do it now. He argued that it is all a fight of ego and ijjat. That as members of a Sangatan, we have no false pride or honour. Whatever plan in made keeping in mind the interest of Bheels we are ready to accept that. But that he wouldn't want to make the decision alone. That there are 11 other karyakarthas who were hurt and the Bheel families who have to consulted.  Prayas was under the radar of everyone in the district. At a zillaparishad meeting, the MLAs, a few MPs and the other members talked about a surveillance committee to look into the activities of Prayas and close it down. That the office in Amarpura is an encroachment and they were going to evacuate it. The very same individuals also called and came to the office to talk about a compromise, so we couldn't trust anything they said.  The Bheel men were also strong that they would not compromise, as they knew nothing would work out in their favour. But the women who saw all the violence said they are willing to take the land elsewhere. We made our efforts to talk to them separately and convince them that the parties proposing it are not trustworthy.  Several of these days were spent in fear, commotion and always debating if we are doing the right thing.  Meeting with the SP: We met the SP and submitted an application requesting investigation into the first incident where the house was destroyed and trenches were dug in the fields.  Team from Center for Dalit Rights: A team from Center for Dalit Rights came over from Jaipur. They visited the location, spoke to the Bheels, the villagers, the Sarpanch made a report and submitted to the Collector and the SP. Their report requested protection for Bheels and the Sangatan karyakarthas, compensation for Bheels and legal claim to the land.  Meeting with the DYSP: All the Karyakarthas went to the Thana  to give our bayan (do not know the English word for it). We also spoke to the DYSP. He agreed that when an established order is questioned, violence is bound to happen. He also told us that we can bring about social change overnight. We asked him if a house and fields with an year's hard work can all be destroyed in one hour, what choice do we have than to resist and speak against it. He suggested we use law, go through proper channels and stuff. He was in favour of a compromise and asked what we would settle for. We said if it works in favour of Bheels we are ready for an agreement. If they can get the pattas of for the abadi land they are cultivating and the road is constructed according to the original plan we would be fine.  The same day, the Bheels were called for a Bayan of the first incident. They only heard one old man Beraba Bheel. They managed to make him say that they were not abused in the name of caste, which would mean that the strongest clause of SC/ST act would not apply. They said they were doing the bayan for the first incident, but we a few things made that suspect that they would convert it into a report for the second incident so as to ease the cases registered.  Meeting with the SDM: We met the SDM twice in 2 weeks. Till that point, I felt logic and law have no place in this system which runs on ratodi. We put forward our points and explained the situation.  The Bheels have pattas to 8 bigha 18 biswa land and the allotment is 47 years old. Along with it, they have been cultivating about 2 bighas of abadi land. We made a map of the land after measuring it approx. We made a list of people in the village who have occupied abadi land without pattas.  1. Why is it that they are called encroachers today? When there are several others who have occupied land, why is it that these Bheels alone have been targeted? If the Panchayat has the power and wants to remove the encroachments, let it run a campaign and remove all of them. Why target this family alone? 2. They are being targeted because they have stood up for their rights and refused the road to run through their homes and fields. Why did the road have to be diverted against the original plan? Because it is an opportunity to oppress a community who has dared to speak up in the past. 3. Their encroachment according to us is less than 2 bighas. But Panchayat claims that they have occupied almost 4 bighas and is ready to allot this land. So, it is urgent that their land is mapped. 4. The way in which all this was done was spurious and illegal. Due process was never followed.  SDM agreed with us. He cautioned us of talking about technicalities. It is important to look at the mindset behind both the incidents. He said there were a few things he could them 1. Get their land mapped. 2. Get the PWD do the road according to the original plan and also fill the trenches 3. Pressure the Panchayat that all encroachments have to be removed before evacuating the Bheels. That they cannot be evacuated and targeted with hatred. He does not have the legal power to prevent Panchayat from alloting the land to other people and we have to get a stay from High Court for this.  SDM's visit to Beeladi: After our meeting with SDM, the SDM visited Beeladi with the Patwari and Sarpanch pati. He asked the Sarpanch the reason for evacuation. The Sarpanch pati told him this was the only encroachment. The SDM showed him the list we gave and asked him to give an answer and the Sarpanch stayed silent. He told the Sarpanch that he should first evacuate all the other encroachments and come to the Bheels.  The Bheels and all of us were extremely happy that day. (28th Dec). We all felt relieved too.  Planning for the 5th December Aam Sabha: Slowly the media and the Govt. has taken the Bheels side. Some of them are open and vocal about it and some silently supportive. What we are planning for is a show of strength: A show of strength supporting the Bheels in their struggle and against the attrocities that were committed against them.  All of us (karyakatrthas, Bheels from Beeladi and elsewhere) are going to villages around, telling this story over and again asking people to show their solidarity for few hours. There seems to be enough interest and a feeling of togetherness. We are expecting about 3000 people to show up.  Regards, Madhu.