Bilaspur (Chhattisgarh): Unique way of protest by two elderly persons in Bilaspur district of Chhattisgarh has been drawing people's attention. One of the protesters seeking a claim on his lost land and its entry in the government land records---has put on display the map of his land plot on a rectangular piece of cloth.
Holding the map of his land, printed on a piece of cloth -- the 80-year-old Latelram Yadav of Birkona village located in the vicinity of Bilaspur city, said, "Land sharks have been eyeing his plot. On the other, whatever land I possess-- has been declared grassland by the government. Some government officials have connived with land mafia and grabbed that small piece of land. That was two acres. After making several rounds of government offices, I resorted to this method of protest."
Another elderly person, Nand Kumar Shukla, who has been fighting for making the Chhattisgarhi, the official language of the state, for the last 15 years, was wearing a white color cloth as well as cap, on which the slogans have been mentioned in the Chhattisgarhi language. He was found holding a stick in his hand. Shukla says, "Chhattisgarhi language didn't become the medium of teaching in the government schools. Chhattisgarhi is being taught along with Hindi. Hence, teachers first read Hindi and then get it translated into Chhattisgarhi. Chhattisgarhi is not taught directly in government schools."
