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Patwaris to wear black armband to protest Haryana govt’s list of corrupt officials
In the meeting, the patwaris passed a resolution seeking chief minister Nayab Saini’s intervention into the matter, besides deciding to submit memorandums to all 22 deputy commissioners against the government’s decision to take action against 370 patwaris and their middlemen.
The Revenue Patwar and Kanungo Association on Sunday held a state-level meeting in Jind and decided to work wearing black bands for the next three days in a protest against the Haryana government for releasing a letter which includes names of 370 “corrupt” patwaris (revenue officials).
In the meeting, the patwaris passed a resolution seeking chief minister Nayab Saini’s intervention into the matter, besides deciding to submit memorandums to all 22 deputy commissioners against the government’s decision to take action against 370 patwaris and their middlemen.
Interacting with media in Jind, Jaiveer Chahal, state president of the Haryana Revenue Patwar and Kanungo Association said that the government has done an inhuman act by releasing a letter and including names of honest patwaris.
“In the list, two patwaris - Devendra from Gurgaon and Omprakash from Kaithal, who died earlier were also included. This list was prepared by the intelligence officials to please their senior officials and government. We have decided to work while wearing black armbands for the next three days to protest over the government’s letter. No patwari will work in areas outside his jurisdiction. We are exploring options to take legal action against the government,” he added.
He said that he is not supporting corrupt people but the majority of honest and dedicated patwaris are also included in the letter.
In a January 14 communication to deputy commissioners, the office of the financial commissioner, revenue (FCR), had written that the corrupt practices of these patwaris, who regularly deal with the public, brings a bad name to the government. The communication explicitly mentions the names of the corrupt revenue officials and the modus operandi to extract money from the public. Many patwaris who figure in the list of corrupt officials have been functioning at a particular village or tehsil for the last eight to 10 years.
“Private individuals deployed to assist the patwaris also work as brokers for them. A large number of people who visit patwaris for land related work get harassed as patwaris raise objections one after the another forcing citizens to bribe them,” said the communication by the office of the FCR.
