FEROZEPORE, Oct 27 — The allotment of central government land near the Indo-Pakistan border to the relatives of Punjab Chief Minister, Parkash Singh Badal has sparked protests from farmers, who have been tilling it up until now.

Around 300 acres of the government land in Gandu Kilcha village has been allotted to Mr Badal’s relatives in settlement of their claims against property lost in Pakistan during partition.

While the authorities justify the allotment saying, it was part of a policy to resettle partition related cases, those who have been tilling the land have protested against the move.

At least seven farmers claim that they have been tilling the land since the early 60s and say it’s “arbitrary” allotment to influential persons will render them homeless. In a representation addressed to the Deputy Commissioner, seven farmers from Nihala Kilcha, Deh and Gandu Kilcha villages have charged certain politically well-connected persons with trying to take possession of the land with the help of Border Security Force (BSF) personnel.

The land belongs to the central government. But the farmers have been tilling it since the early 60s and the “girdawris” of land are in their name.

Since the land falls across the security fencing raised to check infiltration from Pakistan, these farmers were issued identity cards by the BSF to allow the entry to their fields. But following allotment of land to the relatives of Mr Badal, the BSF is pressuring them against going across the fencing to visit their fields. This has prompted the tillers to approach the Deputy Commissioner’s office for justice. The tillers charge the BSF of allowing Mr Jaijeet Singh, the brother-in-law of Mr Badal’s nephew, to enter their fields for demarcation of the land. Mr Jaijeet Singh is amongst seven claimants to the land.

The BSF and the administration, however, claim that the tillers are unauthorised occupants and have no legal right to challenge the allotment. Punjab Pardesh Congress Committee Secretary, Major Harminder Singh Bhullar has threatened an agitation, if justice is denied to the landless tillers.

The Deputy Commissioner Mr Kulbir Singh Sidhu said “girdawris” do not make these tillers the owners of central government property. He said Mr Jaijeet Singh and his relatives had become the actual owner of the property, but the BSF has been asked to ensure that the tillers could visit the fields. The BSF officers said that they had stopped the tillers from going across the fencing on the basis of revenue records.

“Most of these tillers have expired and outdated girdawris in their name. We can allow entry to only those who either have fresh girdawris or ownership”, a senior BSF officer explained. On being contacted for comment, Mr Jaijeet Singh said that the controversy was unnecessarily being raked up by vested interests. He said that since his family is entitled to get Rs 3,000 per acre as border area compensation, those who wanted to purchase the land earlier are inciting unscrupulous elements.