Raising a banner of revolt, a mahapanchayat comprising 12 villages of the district, where 164 acres of land is set to be acquired for a proposed railway bypass, has resolved against parting with their land and threatened to launch an agitation soon.
The panchayats of Samargopalpur Khurd and Kalan, Titoli, Sunderpur, Sisroli, Nasarpur, Chamaria, Makdoli Khurd and Kalan, Khidwali, Jindran and Guskiyana held a meeting at Titoli village on Saturday.
The previous Congress government had announced to set up a rail bypass after acquiring over 164 acres of land of these villages. In July 2013, the then union railway minister Mallikarjun Kharge had laid the foundation stone for the project.
Umed Singh, convener of the mahapanchayat, said the state government had served Section 6 of the Land Acquisition Act on farmers, which has created unrest among them. They would not hesitate in fighting for their fertile land, he added.
"An 11-member committee would soon announce the date of agitation against the proposed rail bypass over farmers' land," he said.
Meanwhile, Gurnam Singh, state president of Bharatiya Kisan Union, who was present at the mahapanchayat also voiced his concern by saying that land should not be acquired against farmers' wishes. Singh said the government wants to build a rail bypass to benefit builders at the cost of farmers.
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, Gurnam Singh, state president of Bharatiya Kisan Union, who was present at the mahapanchayat also voiced his concern by saying that land should not be acquired against farmers' wishes. Singh said the government wants to build a rail bypass to benefit builders at the cost of farmers.
{{/usCountry}}He also sought the support of farmers for the state-level meeting in support of the implementation of the MS Swaminathan commission report to be held at Pipli village in Kurukshetra district on March 5.