BKU (Charuni) launches indefinite dharna at Mini-Secretariat in Kurukshetra

Accusing the district administration of backtracking on its assurances and adopting an indifferent attitude towards farmers’ issues, the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Charuni) on Wednesday began an indefinite dharna at the Mini-Secretariat in Kurukshetra.

Led by BKU (Charuni) chief Gurnam Singh, the union members raised slogans in support of their demands at the Mini-Secretariat.

Union leader Gurnam Singh said, “A number of farmers have been struggling for the past over 10 years to get pending compensation for their land, acquired for NH-152. The land of 11 villages on the Pehowa-Ambala Road was acquired, but they were given inadequate compensation. The affected farmers should have been given 100 per cent solatium, but they were given 30 per cent of the amount.”

Gurnam Singh said last year, after a mahapanchayat, the then Deputy Commissioner had given a decision in the favour of the farmers of three villages and the affected farmers were to be given the remaining 70 per cent solatium along with interest of 21 months. The farmers were assured that the money would be released in four months and no further appeal would be made, but the NHAI made a further appeal in the Sessions Court instead of releasing the payment.

“Earlier this year, in April, the farmers staged another dharna and the district administration had assured of expediting the matter. The hearing of the court case is on Thursday, and we came here to meet the Deputy Commissioner regarding the hearing, however, the response was unacceptable and the administration has adopted an indifferent attitude towards the farmers’ plight. The Deputy Commissioner has refused to intervene. We have launched an indefinite dharna, the state government should also take a note of the situation and take action,” he added.

A senior district official said the farmers union wanted intervention from the administration while the matter was already pending in the court. While the district administration had already given its decision in favour of the farmers, the NHAI is well within its rights to approach the court. The district administration can’t interfere in a sub-judice matter. The matter is out of the purview of the district administration.

Meanwhile, Kurukshetra Deputy Commissioner Neha Singh said the matter was sub-judice and the orders of the court would be complied with. The farmers had been informed about the situation.

Haryana Tribune