BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) to protest, seek resolution of land disputes in rural areas
Addressing a protest rally at Jeond village in Bathinda district, which was attended by several associations representing farmers, farm workers and government employees, BKU president Joginder Singh Ugrahan said that the agrarian community of Punjab sees a threat of control of corporate houses over the agricultural land of the state.
The Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) on Thursday announced to launch of an agitation after March 15 demanding resolution of land disputes in rural areas across the state.
Addressing a protest rally at Jeond village in Bathinda district, which was attended by several associations representing farmers, farm workers and government employees, BKU president Joginder Singh Ugrahan said that the agrarian community of Punjab sees a threat of control of corporate houses over the agricultural land of the state.
He said that there were numerous cases where the cultivators are deprived of their right over the land and a compilation of data will help them in helping the aggrieved farmers.
“We urge the unions and others to collect data on land dispute cases by March 10 after which a collective action will be launched to ensure that cultivators get the land. There have been calculated efforts where the central government is keen to provide farmland control to the corporate sector and it is visible in the Union government’s recent draft of the National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing,” he said.
Ugrahan called for unity among farmer unions to battle against the BJP-led central government to protect the interests of farmers and frame workers.
He urged Jagjit Singh Dallewal to end fast and join a pro-farmer struggle with a vigour.
Today’s protest was staged at Jeond where the Ekta Ugrahan has been holding a pucca morcha since January 20 against the distribution of nearly 750 acres to landowners.
Ugrahan tried to draw a parallel between the distribution of land at Jeond and efforts to formulate policies to favour corporate houses in the farm sector.
Bathinda deputy commissioner Showkat Ahmad Parray on Thursday rubbished the apprehensions that any corporate entity will get the land at Jeond.
“Process of land distribution was started on the direction of the Punjab and Haryana high court. The government was not a party in the matter as it was a decade-old dispute between two groups of farmers. The Supreme Court has settled the matter in favour of the legitimate land owners. As the matter has been settled by the apex court, land will be given soon to farmers,” said Parray.