Clash over MGNREGA wages leaves seven injured

Seven people, including five labourers employed under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), were admitted to hospital after they clashed with the Akali sarpanch of Kalipur village and his supporters over the issue of "non-payment" wages on Saturday.

Seven people, including five labourers employed under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), were admitted to hospital after they clashed with the Akali sarpanch of Kalipur village and his supporters over the issue of "non-payment" wages on Saturday.

The labourers accused sarpanch Balam Singh of holding their wages since long and alleged embezzlement of the amount meant for labourers.

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It all started after an employee from the audit department visited the village to audit records. The sarpanch and some workers reached government school at Kalipur where the audit department employee after completing his job read out the audit report before the workers with the motive to note down their grievances. At this, the MGNREGA labourers accused the sarpanch of embezzlement and not paying their wages. The sarpanch claimed that he had paid the wages.

A furious sarpanch allegedly tried to run over the labourers with his jeep following which the latter pelted him with stones. The Akali workers and labourers again clashed outside the school premises a few minutes later, which left five labourers and two Akali workers injured. Some others, who received minor injuries, were given the first aid.

In the meantime, the police reached the spot and controlled the situation and rushed the injured to a nearby hospital. The police force was deployed in the village to avoid further clash.

Senior medical officer at the Budhlada primary health centre, Dr Balvir Singh said, "Seven labourers were injured, out of which four have been referred to the Mansa civil hospital while others are under treatment with injuries on head and other parts of the body. Among the four labourers, two women were referred to the civil hospital. The injuries are not of serious nature and their condition would stabilise soon."

Mansa Mazdoor Mukti Morcha Union president Nikka Singh Bahadurpur said, "Labourers are being exploited by village sarpanches and the state government across Punjab. We are not being paid for the hard labour we had put in to make ends meet. On Saturday, when we revealed the truth in front of the employee from the audit department, who wanted to note down our grievances, the sarpanch and his supporters assaulted us and even tore clothes of women labourers. Demanding wages is our only mistake. The failure of the government to provide employment and the collapse of the system running the MNREGA in Punjab had led to this violence, which should be taken as a sign of the fight for labourers' rights."

Senior superintendent of police Narinder Bhargav said, "The situation is under control and we are registering a case against both the Akali workers and labourers on the basis of facts. The labourers disrupted the government official from doing his job. They and Akali workers clashed outside the school."

Protest schedule

All power engineers of the state will wear black badges and work for extra time without lunch break from 9am to 7pm on June 11. Mobile phones will remain switched off from 11am to 1:30pm on June 21 and 26.
Zonal dharnas will be held every week starting from Patiala on July 3.
State-level dharna at Patiala on August 21.