Hundreds of Dalits blocked the Delhi-Sangrur national highway for over two hours at Sular Gharat village, around 20km from the district headquarters, here on Sunday.
The protesters were alleging that the state government has decided to sell common reserved land of villages to corporates under the rural land bank policy.
Members of Krantikari Pendu Mazdoor Union started the protest at around 1PM. The protest resulted in traffic snarls on the nation highway.
They protesters had earlier gathered at the grain market of Sular Gharat and raised slogans against the Captain Amarinder Singh-led Congress government in Punjab.
Lakhvir Singh Longowal, state secretary of the Krantikari Pendu Mazdoor Union, said, “The decision of the state government to hand over common land at villages to corporate firms is anti-Dalit and anti-farmer. This common land is a source of income for thousands of farmers and labourers across state. We have decided to hold protests against the move till December 18.”
“The state government had acquired land at many villages in Barnala district in 2006 with the same claims. However, the land is still vacant and the companies concerned have not established any big industry, thus failing to generate any employment in the region,” he said.
“This is like committing fraud against the farmers. We will not allow the government to repeat such anti-farmer or anti-Dalit drives in state,” Longowal added.
{{/usCountry}}“This is like committing fraud against the farmers. We will not allow the government to repeat such anti-farmer or anti-Dalit drives in state,” Longowal added.
{{/usCountry}}“In the Malwa region, especially Sangrur and Patiala districts, the Dalit outfits have been fighting for common reserved land for the minority communities on minimum annual rent, where the model of cooperative farming was established in 2008,” he said.
“After getting this land, Dalits have earned money and honour while cultivating on their own fields. But the government wants to make them unemployed and landless again,” said Pargat Singh, a leader of the Naujawan Bharat Sabha.
“This decision will also affect a large section of farmers. The agitation will be intensified in the coming days,” he added.
Meanwhile, members of the Krantikari Kisan Union and the Punjab Radical Students’ Union have also extended their support by joining the protests.