Karnal farmers protest auction of agriculture land of loan defaulter farmer

Agitated over the auction of nearly two acre agricultural land of a loan defaulting farmer, hundreds of farmers associated with farm unions held a protest in Karnal on Monday

Agitated over the auction of nearly two acre agricultural land of a loan defaulting farmer, hundreds of farmers associated with farm unions held a protest in Karnal on Monday.

The protesters alleged that the bank had sold out his 17 kanal and three marla agricultural land for recovery of a pending loan of ₹17 lakh. (iStock)

The protesters alleged that the bank had sold out his 17 kanal and three marla agricultural land for recovery of a pending loan of ₹17 lakh. They are demanding that the farmer’s land be returned to the farmer as he is ready to repay his loan.

Protesting under the banner of BKU (Chhotu Ram) and BKU (Tikait), the protesting farmers accused the government of taking away farmers’ land for pending loan of a few lakh.

As per information, farmer Rishpal Singh, of Jalala Viran village in Karnal’s Nissing block, had taken a loan of ₹11 lakh in 2007 for a cattle shed and diary from a nationalised bank.

He had repaid only four instalments but failed to return the entire loan as per schedule and later, the amount increased to ₹17 lakh, with interest.

Now, the bank had reportedly auctioned his land mortgaged for loan to a bidder in e-auction around three years ago.

The farmer alleged that there were no prior notices for auction of the land to them and now, he came to know that his land has been sold out to a Panipat-based man, Deepak Kadyan, on e-auction.

The matter came to light on Saturday when buyer of the land, along with a police team, reached the village to take possession following court orders but they faced protest from farmers, and police returned back.

Shiv Charan, in-charge of the Sitamai police post, said owner of the land had provided orders of debts recovery tribunal, Chandigarh to claim possession and a police team reached the village for possession but following the protests, they returned back.

Police said they will again visit the village in the presence of a duty magistrate for compliance of orders of the tribunal.