Tilottama Municipality in Rupandehi has taken a firm stance against the removal of landless or disorganized squatter settlements based on criteria set by the federal government. Mayor Ramkrishna Khan has expressed support for providing land ownership certificates for measured lands to residents living in such settlements. The Struggle Committee submitted a seven-point memorandum to Prime Minister Balendra Shah, urging immediate provision of land ownership certificates to landless squatters. (29 Baisakh, Butwal)
Rejecting the federal government’s directive to remove landless and disorganized squatter settlements, Tilottama Municipality in Rupandehi has maintained a clear position on this matter. Following the submission of the seven-point memorandum by the Struggle Committee for disorganized settlers, landless, and squatters, Mayor Ramkrishna Khan and Deputy Mayor Jageshwari Devi Chaudhary jointly condemned the federal government for what they called ‘bulldozer terror,’ and voiced their opposition to the campaign. Mayor Khan said, “The current government has unleashed terror, and Tilottama Municipality does not support it. We are in favor of issuing land ownership certificates for surveyed lands to the landless and disorganized settlers.”
Mayor Khan emphasized the municipality’s support for the landless and disorganized settlers’ movement, urging no one to lose heart. He said, “We fully support your demands, are concerned about solving the problems, and will not back down if necessary to fulfill your demands. This struggle to protect homes and lands inhabited for years is not just a legal issue but a matter of humanity, linked to the security of millions of families and the future of their children. Therefore, the entire municipality stands beside you.”
Deputy Mayor Jageshwari Devi Chaudhary noted that while notifications for revenue collection to distribute land ownership certificates for lands already surveyed by previous commissions remain pending, the bulldozer terror nationwide has alarmed millions of citizens. She added that although the federal government has issued a circular requesting data, no decision has yet been taken. “When bulldozers operate elsewhere, the terror spreads here too, but we stand with the residents of this municipality,” Chaudhary stated. “Rest assured, we will not cause you any harm.”
