Chak 22 M.D. (Indo-Pak Border), December 4
Agitated over the arrest of farmer leaders, villagers of this border area have vowed to lay down their lives to get their demand of sufficient irrigation water accepted by the state government. The situation in the famine-hit area has once again turned tense, with the arrests forcing the administration to impose curfew in the towns of Gharsana, Rawla and Anoopgarh this morning.
In an attempt to weaken the ongoing agitation over the Indira canal, the district administration arrested leaders of the Vyapari, Kisan, Mazdoor Sangharsh Samiti, including Mr Hetram Beniwal and Mr Vallabh Kochhar, late last night.
When this correspondent visited the affected area this morning, there was no movement in the towns under curfew, but the situation was tense in the villages.
At Chak 22 M.D. village, about 2 km from the Indo-Pak border, the villagers were armed with sticks, spears and axes. Talking to The Tribune, villagers of the border area alleged that the police was indulging in highhandedness in the village.
This morning, a team of the state police, led by Mr Sarwar Ali, SHO, Gharsana, raided the village to arrest Mr Tara Singh, secretary of the farmers’ front. Mr Baldev Singh Brar, a farmer leader, alleged that the police forcibly entered the village and misbehaved with them. In an attempt to nab the leader, the police roughed up family members of the farmer leader and caused a fracture in the left leg of his younger brother, Mr Harman Singh.
The armed villagers had gheraoed the entire village to not allow the entry of the police in the village.
Over the years, the area had become barren due to severe shortage of irrigation water, that had led to villagers’ demonstration against inaction by the state government.
On November 27, four farmers were killed in firing by the police during the agitation. Blaming the government for adopting a negligent attitude towards issue, the villagers demanded the immediate release of their leaders.
In the past one month, three meetings between farmers and the government had failed. The villagers felt that the government was not in favour of coming to a conclusion.
When contacted, the Divisional Commissioner of Bikaner range, Mr Shreemat Pandey, warned the violent agitators of stern action. He said no untoward incident was reported from the affected area.
Meanwhile, CITU held a demonstration in Sriganganagar to oppose the arrest of the farmers’ leaders. At least 150 agitators were arrested at Suratgarh.
