In Meghavadia village of Gujarat, the Maldharis have been protesting for the past three years against the illegal occupation of 40 hectares of "gauchar" (or grazing land) by a mafia.
The Maldharis have been demanding the government authorities to take action against the land mafias who have restricted their access to the grazing land, on which they depend on for their livelihood.
Despite numerous appeals, authorities failed to address the issue, prompting the Maldharis to stage a unique and dramatic protest to draw attention to their plight. Frustrated with the inaction, the villagers took their cattle to the Taluka Panchayat office of Gadda and released around 300 to 400 cows in the office as a sign of protest.
The cattle herders and landlords were initially not allowed to enter the compound of the building, however, they forcibly opened the gate and sat down in the premises of the office and raised slogans. Following which, the Taluka Development Officer heard their concerns and assured them of an amicable solution within ten days.
According to a report by Divya Bhaskar, the administration started process to remove the encroachment in July. Meanwhile, cattle owners from Kalsari village in Visavadar taluka started a hunger strike against the encroachment and cultivation of the village's designated grazing land. The villagers alleged that powerful individuals, including politically connected farmers, have illegally occupied around 3,200 bighas of "gauchar" (grazing) land, leaving the Maldhari community without adequate space to feed their livestock.
“There’s barely any land left for our cattle to graze,” said Meram Mewada, a Maldhari leader from Kalsari told the Bhaskar. “Since 2008, we’ve submitted complaints and representations to the Sarpanch, Talati, Mamlatdar, Prant Adhikari, DDO, and the Collector. But despite repeated assurances, no concrete action has been taken.”
According to Mewada, the Junagadh District Collector had directed the District Land Records (DLR) office to conduct a land measurement two years ago, but the process remains incomplete. “Wherever partial measurements were done, the farmers tampered with the boundary markers and resumed cultivation,” he added. “There’s only blame-shifting in the system. If our demands are ignored, we’ll be forced to protest with our cattle at the Taluka Panchayat and Mamlatdar offices.”
The protest has drawn attention to longstanding tensions between traditional pastoral communities and agricultural interests over common lands. For Maldharis, who depend entirely on livestock rearing for their livelihood, loss of grazing land poses an existential threat.
Responding to the protest, Taluka Development Officer (TDO) Rajendra Thakor told the Bhaskar that around 1,700 bighas of grazing land across the taluka — including in Kalsari — have been cleared of built-up structures and plantations. “Only 180 bighas remain to be measured, and the process is underway after informing the director,” he said. “Once the land is cleared, the respective village panchayats will be formally directed to reserve it for cattle grazing.”
Thakor also mentioned that similar steps are being taken in Amreli district, where auctioned land is being earmarked for grazing land development.
But the cattle owners remain unconvinced. “We’re tired of waiting. The administration makes promises but doesn’t follow through. How can we feed our animals or sustain our families without grazing land?” said a protesting Maldhari.
The situation in Kalsari reflects a broader pattern across Gujarat, where growing land pressures, weak enforcement, and political interference have made it difficult to protect Gauchar lands — vital lifelines for the state’s pastoral communities.
Demand/Contention of the Affected Community
Demand for better access to common land/resources
Demand for legal recognition of land rights
Other Demand/Contention of the Affected Community
Region Classification
Type of Land
Common
Non-Forest (Grazing Land)
What was the action taken by the police?
How many people did the police detain or arrest?
What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?
Did the person face any violence while in police custody?
If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?
If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?
Legislation under which the accused was charged
Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?
In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?
Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?
Details of sources (names of accused, names and numbers of any lawyers, names of any police officers contacted)
Status of Project
Original Project Deadline
Whether the Project has been Delayed
Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users
Grazing
Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict
Source/Reference
Total investment involved (in Crores):
₹
Type of investment:
Year of Estimation
Has the Conflict Ended?
When did it end?
Why did the conflict end?
Categories of Legislations Involved in the Conflict
Legislations/Policies Involved
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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Whether claims/objections were made as per procedure in the relevant statute
What was the claim(s)/objection(s) raised by the community?
What was the Decision of the Concerned Government Department?
Legal Processes and Loopholes Enabling the Conflict:
Lack of legal protection over land rights
Legal Status:
Out of Court
Status of Case In Court
Whether any adjudicatory body was approached
Name of the adjudicatory body
Name(s) of the Court(s)
Case Number
Main Reasoning/Decision of court
Major Human Rights Violations Related to the Conflict:
Whether criminal law was used against protestors:
Reported Details of the Violation:
Date of Violation
Location of Violation
Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:
PSUs Involved in the Conflict:
Did LCW Approach Government Authorities for Comments?
Name, Designation and Comment of the Government Authorities Approached
Corporate Parties Involved in the Conflict:
Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?
Communities/Local Organisations in the Conflict:
What was the action taken by the police?
How many people did the police detain or arrest?
What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?
Did the person face any violence while in police custody?
If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?
If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?
Legislation under which the accused was charged
Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?
In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?
Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?
Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?
