Rally against attack on peaceful protesters

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, November 20

Members of the Pendu Mazdoor Union took out a cycle march on Thursday across Mehatpur, Shahkot, Lohian, Khas and 42 villages of the district in protest against the attack on Dalit protesters and PMU members, who were holding a peaceful protest demanding residential plots for Dalit peasants.

Members riding bikes and carrying red flags marched across various sub-divisions and villages alleging that some Dalit families and silent protesters were holding a morcha in favour of residential plots at Sardarwala village in Lohian Khas, where they were attacked on October 27 and their culprits were still walking freely. A memorandum was also submitted to the DC over the issue.

PMU members also exhorted the peasantry and village labourers to gather at the district-level protest to be held at Shahkot on November 23 and subsequent nationwide protests on November 26 and 27.

State leader Hans Raj Pabwan said those who attacked silent protesters on October 25 were walking free and the police weren’t arresting them. He said no action had been taken by the Lohian Khas police against those who thrashed Dalit women and children on October 16 and 17 either.

He said those beating activists have been emboldened. He demanded that people indulging in such acts be arrested immediately.

He said despite a government notification, the poor were being denied their rights to residential plots. He said the MGNREGA scheme and employment to be provided under it was also falling prey to corruption and politics.

He exhorted the peasantry to extend wholesome support to the protest on November 23 and the national strike on November 26 against anti-labour revisions in labour laws and the Dilli Chalo Andolan on November 26-27 against farm ordinances and Electricity Act 2020.

PMU leaders Tarsem Peter, Kashmir Singh Ghushore, Vijay Kumar Bath among others were present on the occasion.

Their prime demands include arrest of those guilty of attack on protesters, residential plots for poor and Dalit villagers, strict implementation of MGNREGA scheme, increasing daily wage amount under MGNREGA to Rs500, pardoning of farmers’ debts and hefty electricity bills.