Land auction: 125 Dalits rounded up

Sangrur, July 29

The Bhawanigarh police today rounded up 125 Dalits who were planning a protest march at Gharachon village.

The Dalits were demanding the cancellation of the auction of 30 acres of reserved village common land as they alleged that the administration had allotted the land to dummy candidates of the upper caste. On Wednesday, when they reached the land to start their protest march, the police took them into custody.

“Local upper caste members, with the support of some Congress leaders, have divided Dalits into two groups. On May 27, the Panchayat Department had allotted 30 acres of the 48 acres reserved land, to five persons, who are working as dummy candidates for the upper caste. They ignored the bids of 174 families of Dalits. To harass us, officers are not allowing us to cultivate the 18 acres we had taken during the auction,” said Parmjit Kaur, senior leader of Zameen Prapati Sangharash Committee.

Denying arresting 125 persons, Bhawanigarh SHO Ramandeep Singh said a case had been registered against only three persons.

“As per the report of Panchayat Department officials, the auction was conducted as per norms. I will look into the matter, if there is any complaint,” said Sangrur ADC Rajinder Batra. — TNS