Outfit to protest cancellation of panchayat land auction

Sangrur, July 6

In protest against cancellation of auction of one-third share of panchayat lands, reserved for Scheduled Castes (SCs) for farming in the villages repeatedly, Zamin Prapati Sanghrash Committee (ZPSC) today decided to organise a district-level dharna on July 10 outside district administrative complex (Deputy Commissioner’s office) here.

The decision was taken here at a meeting of the zonal committee of the Zamin Prapati Sanghrash Committee which was presided over by Jagtar Singh Tolewal.

Bikar Singh Hathoa, a leader of the Zamin Prapati Sanghrash Committee, said that auction of one-third share of the reserved land in three villages of Dirba block and Sherpur block had been cancelled by the authorities repeatedly on one pretext or the other. He also alleged that in some cases earlier, auction of such lands had been cancelled as the beneficiaries wanted the land for farming for a year at lower rates while the administration was not ready for it.

Hathoa also alleged that the administration had not been approving the lower rates due to which the Scheduled Caste farmers had not been getting lands for transplanting paddy well in time. He said keeping in view the hardships being faced by the Scheduled Caste farmers, the committee had decided to launch protest by staging a dharna on July 10 outside Deputy Commissioner’s office here. The committee had also started preparations to organise the dharna by creating awareness in the villages.

Among others who were present included ZPSC zonal president Mukesh Malaud, Gurcharan Singh Gharachon, Gurwinder Singh Shadihari and Shingara Singh Herrike.