Kerala's Land Reforms Plan Raises Questions on Adivasi and Dalit Land Rights

The UDF government in Kerala has unveiled a land reforms initiative that seeks to open up plantation land for tourism and industrial development. However, the proposal has drawn scrutiny for its approach to long-standing demands from Adivasi and Dalit movements.

While the government's plan carries the nomenclature of a reform addressing historic grievances, critics argue it largely bypasses the core issue: allocation of land that was previously promised to marginalised communities. Adivasi and Dalit groups have long advocated for land redistribution as a means to address economic inequality and historical dispossession.

The initiative has raised questions about whether the reform truly serves the interests of these communities or primarily benefits tourism and industrial sectors. Stakeholders from civil society and grassroots movements have called for clarity on how the plan addresses the specific land demands raised by Adivasi and Dalit organisations over decades.