Jharkhand Land Rights Convention: The All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) held a Jharkhand Land Rights Convention in Ranchi on October 1, 2026. The meeting took place at the Assembly Hall under the chairmanship of Asim Sarkar, state president of the Kisan Sabha. Leaders called for a strong movement to protect farmers and Adivasi communities from losing their land, forests and other natural resources.
AIKS national president Ashok Dhawale said the convention marked the start of a major struggle against the taking of land and minerals for corporate interests. He raised concerns over the alleged violation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA), the PESA Act and the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (LARR) Act of 2013.
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Leaders Raise Concerns Over Adivasi Land Rights
Dhawale accused the BJP-led central government of following policies that hurt farmers, workers, students, women, Dalits and Adivasis. Dhawale claimed that nearly five lakh farmers, agricultural workers and daily-wage workers had died by suicide across India because of these policies.
He also discussed the long history of Adivasi resistance in Jharkhand. He paid tribute to Tilka Manjhi’s uprising in 1784, the Santhal rebellion of 1855 led by Sidho-Kanho and Chand-Bhairav, and Birsa Munda, who died in 1900 after fighting against exploitation and land dispossession. These movements helped bring protective laws, including the Chhota Nagpur Tenancy (CNT) Act and the Santhal Parganas Tenancy (SPT) Act. Dhawale said these laws are now being weakened.
Awadhesh Kumar, national joint secretary of AIKS, said farmers had faced serious difficulties during the 12 years of Narendra Modi’s rule. Vikram Singh of the All India Agricultural Workers Union (AIAWU) also called for stronger joint action to protect forests and minerals.
Land Acquisition and Industrial Projects Under Criticism
Presenting the main resolution, Jharkhand Kisan Sabha general secretary Sufal Mahto said agricultural land makes up around 25% of Jharkhand’s total area, while forests cover nearly 29%. He also stated that around 40% of India’s mineral wealth is located in the state, attracting large companies.
The resolution raised concerns over land being acquired for roads, railways, dams, factories, smart cities, elephant corridors and mining. It said this was putting Adivasi homes, livelihoods, culture and identity at risk.
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The convention also highlighted the Bhoodan movement, under which Jharkhand received 14 lakh acres of land. Of this, only 5.5 lakh acres had been distributed among landless people, according to the resolution. It further criticised the creation of a 21-lakh-acre land bank by the BJP-led state government in June 2019, saying the Hemant Soren government hadn’t scrapped it.
Dhawale also criticised the removal of voters’ names under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. He demanded the dismissal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and an end to the exercise.
Future Programme for Land Rights
The convention announced a phased campaign to strengthen the land rights movement. The campaign will continue until November 15, 2026, when the Kisan Sabha flag will be raised in villages to mark Birsa Munda’s birth anniversary. A statewide land rights rally is planned in Ranchi in March 2027.
The movement will focus on stopping forced land acquisition, enforcing land protection laws, supporting displaced families and arranging legal help for farmers. It will also collect data on land acquisition, bring local protests together into The Jharkhand Land Rights Convention in Ranchi called for statewide protests against land acquisition, demanding stronger protection for farmers, Adivasis, forests and traditional land rights.a statewide movement and push for the proper implementation of the Forest Rights Act.
Adivasi rights leaders Praful Linda and Sukhnath Lohra also addressed the convention. The organisers called for united action by farmers, agricultural workers and Adivasi communities to protect land and forest rights across Jharkhand.
