Three Dalit families of Mehrampur village of Nawanshahr district have allegedly been evicted forcibly by the family of an NRI from the plots donated by the latter to the former seven years ago. The Dalit families alleged that their 'benefactor' also humiliated them in public. The Dalits claimed that the NRI's family was expecting them to do menial jobs out of gratitude and when they refused, the plots donated to them were taken back.
Talking to mediapersons here, Sohan Lal (50) said that NRI Milkha Singh and his wife Harjinder Kaur had donated five-marla plots to each of the 34 Dalit families of the village in year 2005. He said that the plots had been donated at a ceremony organised in the village in the presence of the then deputy chief minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal.
Lal alleged that their benefactor was expecting the Dalits to work as cheap labour for him. "As I and two other families refused to toe the line, the plots donated to us were taken back," Lal alleged.
Lal alleged that Milkhas Singh's family was asking him to do the job of a watchman at their computer centre for a monthly salary of Rs 1,500, which he refused to do. "Similarly, my wife was asked to do cleaning work at Singh's home," he said.
Lal said he was not ready to hand over the plot to the Singh family as he had already placed hand pump there and had planted some trees. He alleged that the Milkha Singh sent his men and they dismantled the hand pump and took possession of the plot.
{{/usCountry}}Lal said he was not ready to hand over the plot to the Singh family as he had already placed hand pump there and had planted some trees. He alleged that the Milkha Singh sent his men and they dismantled the hand pump and took possession of the plot.
{{/usCountry}}He said the plots of Gurdev Kaur and Joga Singh were also taken back for similar reasons and in similar fashion. Sohan Lal said he had filed a complaint against the Singh family with the Banga police.
Milkha Singh's family members could not be contacted for their comments.
Banga SHO Avtar Singh said that Milkha Singh's wife Harjinder Kaur too had filed a complaint against Sohan Lal, accusing the later of misbehaving with her.
The SHO confirmed that the Milkha Singh had taken possession of the plots. He said that police were probing the matter. He also confirmed that the Singh family removed the hand pump from the plot that had been donated to Sohan Lal.