The uncanny business sense of the Mariwari Businessman is envied by one and sundry. Around independence and for a long time thereafter, a large number of Marwari's left their arid homeland in search of better economic prospects and settled in states across the country. They became the bedrock of the business activities in large business centers controlling a fair share of the trade in the local area of operation. The biggest face of the Marwari success were the likes the Birla's, Kothari's, Jalan's, Bajoria and many more.
Between the 60's to the 90's, when the successful families had amassed reasonable (and some obscene) fortunes. They started giving back to their homeland, as they felt they should do something for their state, where they traced their roots.
Large tracts of land were given on charity to benefit the society by the bigger families. People also spent large amounts of money on setting up temples, sprucing local landscapes, charitable hospitals, schools, colleges in Rajasthan to empower the local youth, and to allow their family members to find a connect to the state, which had become more of a holiday home for an annual holiday than anything else. Some very large charitable works like the Pinjrapol Society were also setup to provide care for cows considered Holy by them. These charitable institutions were not only limited to Rajasthan, but also in the local communities where they operated their various businesses.
Things were going on fine as late as the 1995-2000. Post 2002, the land rates jumped in Rajasthan just like other parts of the country. Also, Tourism found India, for any visiting foreigner, the deserts & palaces of Rajasthan offered a great sight. It was part of the golden triangle where a tourist definitely visits New Delhi, Rajasthan & the Taj Mahal before flying out. The growth of Gurgaon and the Delhi-jaipur corridor brought in further business and industries. Then came the Oil find in Bikaner.
Rajasthan was always hot. But now it became a welcome heat!
A large number of Havelis left empty by the families had been left on the mercy of the old caretakers (A family confidante), who were supposed to take care of the property and local affairs. Suddenly with the increase in the local tourism, and interest in antique furniture & Doors in the Havelis, they started cannibalising the property. Some people even started renting out the place to Tourists officially.
Haveli Grabbing
All these factors contributed, suddenly it was found, a very active Land Mafia started gaining gound.
Specially so, over the past 6-7 years, wherein successive governments have given full support to the land mafia. The past three years have seen an emboldening of the land mafia, with full support of the government departments like Forest Department, Forest Rangers, Collectors etc.
Land Grab Case in Rajasthan 2005
The author has personally spoken to 5-6 people involved in the land racket in connection with helping someone recover his property which has come into question because of the activities of the land mafia. The whole group is firmly entrenched in the key government functionaries, with annual targets for fund collection being given to each group. They are systematically going through all the lands which are owned by people not living in the state, and systematically grabbing it through support from the government departments and Local strongmen.
On approach to the civil servants, Police & administration, no one is forthcoming in support. Lack of difitisation of land records in the state is preventing ascertainment of recorded ownership and information flow. RTI applications are being bounced from department to department in an attempt to delay and withhold information, by which time the land mafia does its job.
The above links would be able to justify the claim that the land mafia has now become a menace with its increasingly emboldened activities which have started hitting on charity lands & even land owned by the small & medium size families which perhaps don't have too much money to fight these people, but have got some property in their homeland, which are also being taken away from them.
It is time, the people living outside the state unite and raise their collective voice against these activities, as else very soon they will realise they have been stripped off their ancestral lands.
Saurabh Kedia
(Disclaimer : The author is a Marwari and has also been at the receiving end of this problem. On digging deeper in order to protect his interest, he came across this wider, social problem, and noticing the bigger issue involved, felt it needs to be highlighted. This article has not been written in self interest, as the ancestral property in question is not a very big amount in value.)
