|
The grassroots fight back, for a
roof
WSN Network
MANSA: Even as
the media looks the other way and there is no one reporting on the
plight of the landless in Punjab, those cast aside by the system are
determined not to take it lying down. Hundreds of landless laborers
have now decided to re-launch the agitation and court arrest in
Mansa on October 1 to demand houses promised by the government.
Dipankar
Bhattacharya, general secretary, CPI (ML) Liberation, who was here
said: “The state Government has failed to provide homes to landless
laborers. We have decided to let the agitation take its own course
and the workers are ready to fight oppression and police brutality
too.”
In June this
year, the Punjab Police had unleashed a spate of arrests in which
nearly 1,500 laborers from various villages around Mansa were lodged
behind bars. Those arrested included 611 women and 90 children, said
Tarsem Jodhan, a former MLA and local leader.
“We were only
protesting after the SAD Government failed to keep its poll promise
of giving houses to the homeless. The laborers were left with no
option but to forcibly take possession of land in villages,” Jodhan
added.
“The demand for
plots to build houses is a legitimate demand of the laborers,” said
Bhattacharya, claiming that the Mansa Deputy Commissioner had signed
an agreement on June 19 with workers promising to allocated plots to
them. The commissioner did not keep his word and hundreds of
laborers were arrested on June 22. The Left leader termed these
detentions as unlawful and said the laborers would again submit
application with the DC on October 1.
“According to
law, one-third of the village land needs to be allocated to landless
labors for agriculture and shelter,” Bhattacharya said.
16
September 2009
|
Read Also