delhione
August 10th, 2010, 03:57 PM
Every day we witness some new Law, Amendment, Rule or Policy to match and facilitate the fast and rapid speed of development in every sphere of economy/ business/ finance; but rarely any law enactment, amendment, policy, order, scheme is seen where the letter and spirit of the Govt. to protect or its commitment for welfare of the peasant/ farmer or poor is actually reflected.
All of us know that Ch. Chhotu Ram was an Advocate in his times and had done a lot for the welfare and up-liftment of poor and victimized peasants/ farmers, But unfortunately only some of us know the actual works done by him. Though I don’t claim to know everything done by this self less Jat leader, but through a Govt. Document I have come to know that Ch. Sir Chhotu Ram in a brief period from 1926 to 1936 drafted several historical laws; not only drafted but was instrumental in their enactment and strict implementations. Some of such laws are mentioned below here highlight the true and relentless pursuit of this philanthropist for the welfare of poor , economically and physically battered peasant/ farmer…
The Punjab Alienation of Land Act, 1901 :
This act was passed to prevent the transfer of land to a non-farmer or non-agriculturist professional. such acts are still in force in several states e.g. Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat and in Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh. This law was devised to prevent to growing tendency of the Mahajans/ Money lenders from taking over the land from a farmer. The apparent purpose behind such law was that the land should belong to the peasant/ farmer and none else.
The Restitution of Mortgage Land Act, 1938 :
This law terminated all old mortgages existing before June 8, 1901 when Punjab Alienation of Land Act had come in to effect. This law helped to restore back almost 83,500 acres of agricultural land to almost three lakh sixty five thousand poor peasants/ farmers whose land was swallowed down by greedy Mahajans/ Money Lenders using laws then in force.
The Punjab Agricultural Produce Marketing Act, 1938 :
Before this law the Mandi used to be a place of trading controlled by Mahajans/ Money Lenders and Aadtis and the farmer was at their mercy without any government machinery to check working system and unilateral procedures adopted by the Aadtis and Money Lenders to run the Mandi . This law made it mandatory for the mandis and mahajans to get themselves registered. The registration of Mandis was followed by the formation of Mandi Regulation Committees, with two-third representations of the peasant/ farmers and one third of the Mahajans. This act to a major extant changed the corrupt practices of Mahajans to buy the agricultural produce from the farmer on their own selfish terms.
The Punjab Registration of Moneylenders Act, 1938 :
Under this law a money lender was required to obtain a license before doing business. Under this Conciliation Boards were set up and majority of its members were farmers/ peasants to help the debt ridden farmers in every possible manner. it was the first step to curb the menace of money lenders and their working style to victimize the peasant/ farmers and the poors.
The Punjab Debtors Protection Act, 1936 :
Under this law the Decree Holders (the person who has a handy court order to take over/ sell off somebody’s property as mentioned in the Court order, for the debt/ recoverable dues from that person), which majority of were Mahajans and money lenders, were restrained from taking over/ selling off the essentials of the peasant/ farmer e.g. house, fodder, standing crop, bullock cart, milch cattle, cow shed, cow shed. Before this law there was a practice to get the peasant arrested by the police by lodging the false report of resistance in the execution of court decree, but after this law such arrests were banned.
I hope after reading the aforesaid scholarly and effective legal works of Ch. Chhotu Ram the respect for him in any Jat’s mind and spirit is bound to rejuvenate and to grow manifold.
And also; this article, in my opinion, is quite timely for all the Jat leaders, debating for amendment in (recently hot) marriage laws, to think over the welfare of masses following this legendry Leader; and the same way they should demand for Law, Amendment, Rule, Policy for the welfare of unemployed Jat youths & Poor, Helpless, uneducated and debt ridden peasants/ farmers.
Regards,
Yashpal
All of us know that Ch. Chhotu Ram was an Advocate in his times and had done a lot for the welfare and up-liftment of poor and victimized peasants/ farmers, But unfortunately only some of us know the actual works done by him. Though I don’t claim to know everything done by this self less Jat leader, but through a Govt. Document I have come to know that Ch. Sir Chhotu Ram in a brief period from 1926 to 1936 drafted several historical laws; not only drafted but was instrumental in their enactment and strict implementations. Some of such laws are mentioned below here highlight the true and relentless pursuit of this philanthropist for the welfare of poor , economically and physically battered peasant/ farmer…
The Punjab Alienation of Land Act, 1901 :
This act was passed to prevent the transfer of land to a non-farmer or non-agriculturist professional. such acts are still in force in several states e.g. Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat and in Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh. This law was devised to prevent to growing tendency of the Mahajans/ Money lenders from taking over the land from a farmer. The apparent purpose behind such law was that the land should belong to the peasant/ farmer and none else.
The Restitution of Mortgage Land Act, 1938 :
This law terminated all old mortgages existing before June 8, 1901 when Punjab Alienation of Land Act had come in to effect. This law helped to restore back almost 83,500 acres of agricultural land to almost three lakh sixty five thousand poor peasants/ farmers whose land was swallowed down by greedy Mahajans/ Money Lenders using laws then in force.
The Punjab Agricultural Produce Marketing Act, 1938 :
Before this law the Mandi used to be a place of trading controlled by Mahajans/ Money Lenders and Aadtis and the farmer was at their mercy without any government machinery to check working system and unilateral procedures adopted by the Aadtis and Money Lenders to run the Mandi . This law made it mandatory for the mandis and mahajans to get themselves registered. The registration of Mandis was followed by the formation of Mandi Regulation Committees, with two-third representations of the peasant/ farmers and one third of the Mahajans. This act to a major extant changed the corrupt practices of Mahajans to buy the agricultural produce from the farmer on their own selfish terms.
The Punjab Registration of Moneylenders Act, 1938 :
Under this law a money lender was required to obtain a license before doing business. Under this Conciliation Boards were set up and majority of its members were farmers/ peasants to help the debt ridden farmers in every possible manner. it was the first step to curb the menace of money lenders and their working style to victimize the peasant/ farmers and the poors.
The Punjab Debtors Protection Act, 1936 :
Under this law the Decree Holders (the person who has a handy court order to take over/ sell off somebody’s property as mentioned in the Court order, for the debt/ recoverable dues from that person), which majority of were Mahajans and money lenders, were restrained from taking over/ selling off the essentials of the peasant/ farmer e.g. house, fodder, standing crop, bullock cart, milch cattle, cow shed, cow shed. Before this law there was a practice to get the peasant arrested by the police by lodging the false report of resistance in the execution of court decree, but after this law such arrests were banned.
I hope after reading the aforesaid scholarly and effective legal works of Ch. Chhotu Ram the respect for him in any Jat’s mind and spirit is bound to rejuvenate and to grow manifold.
And also; this article, in my opinion, is quite timely for all the Jat leaders, debating for amendment in (recently hot) marriage laws, to think over the welfare of masses following this legendry Leader; and the same way they should demand for Law, Amendment, Rule, Policy for the welfare of unemployed Jat youths & Poor, Helpless, uneducated and debt ridden peasants/ farmers.
Regards,
Yashpal