Mangaluru: The sit-in protest staged by an elderly couple from Kowkradi village in Kadaba taluk, in front of the Puttur taluk tahsildar’s office and the assistant commissioner’s office, entered its 15th day on Monday, with the protesters warning that they would launch a hunger strike if authorities fail to respond to their demands.
The septuagenarian couple, Muthuswamy and his wife Radhamma, said they were forced to take to the streets after their house, located on government land, was demolished despite their application for land regularisation under Section 94C of the Karnataka Land Revenue Act being pending. The couple alleged that they were not given any relief or alternative arrangement following the demolition.
House demolished despite pending application
According to the couple, they have been residing in Kowkradi village since 2012. They said they had submitted an application several years ago seeking regularisation of the land under Section 94C, which allows regularisation of unauthorised occupation of certain government lands. However, the application has not been processed to date.
Their house was demolished in November last year, reportedly citing a court direction. The couple said the demolition left them homeless and with no means to rebuild their lives. “We approached the authorities multiple times, but there has been no response. We were left with no option but to stage a protest,” they said.
Threat of hunger strike
Expressing frustration over what they described as official apathy, the elderly couple announced that they would begin an indefinite hunger strike if the authorities continued to ignore their plea. They said their protest was aimed at drawing attention to their plight and seeking justice through lawful means.
The couple also appealed to the district administration to consider their age, health condition and long years of residence while deciding on their application and future rehabilitation.
Political support to protest
Karnataka Rashtra Samithi (KRS) Paksha DK district unit president Venugopal extended his party’s support to the protesting couple. He said the couple had been living in the village for more than a decade and that their request for land regularisation had remained unattended for years.
“The family submitted an application under Section 94C long ago, but it was never processed. Demolishing their house without resolving the application has pushed them into distress,” he said, demanding immediate intervention by the authorities.
MLA assures intervention
Puttur MLA Ashok Kumar Rai visited the protest site and interacted with the couple. He said he would take up the matter with the concerned officials to ensure justice. Rai clarified that although the issue did not fall directly under his Assembly constituency, he felt it was his responsibility to respond to the couple’s appeal when they staged the protest in front of the taluk office in his constituency.
“The couple informed me that the officials concerned did not respond to their demands. They also expressed their helplessness and decision to start a hunger strike,” Rai said.
Possibility of relief under government schemes
Rai said government officials had reportedly demolished the house citing a court direction. However, he noted that the couple is now seeking both land and a house. He said they had visited several government offices and met elected representatives seeking assistance.
“I will speak to the officials to check whether their application under Section 94C can be expedited. Further, necessary measures will be taken to provide them a house under an appropriate government scheme,” the MLA said.
Conclusion
As the protest enters its 15th day, the couple’s threat to intensify their agitation has drawn attention to delays in land regularisation cases and the hardships faced by elderly citizens. The administration’s response in the coming days is expected to determine whether the issue is resolved through dialogue or escalates further.