Panches fail to turn up at meeting to discuss Dalit activists’ plaint

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, February 19

Irate over the absence of panchayat members, despite having called a meeting of the village gram sabha of the Surkhan village, activists of the Pendu Mazdoor Union yesterday held a protest and raised slogans against the village panchayat.

They demanded that homeless farmers and labourers should be allotted plots and given employment.

The gathering was addressed by union activists Balwinder Kaur Dyalpur, Jasvir Gora, Gurpal Singh and Manjit Kaur. The meeting was called on Monday after allegations were levelled against the police by Gurpal, resident of Surkhan village. Panchayat officials and employees were not present in the meeting.

Gurpal said he was beaten up by panchayat members. The Dalit activist alleged that he was illegally detained by the SHO of the Bholath police station. He said he was called by the DSP, Bholath, at the police station on February 11 after which the panchayat had tendered an public apology to the activists.

It was also decided that the village gram sabha would be called and in the presence of Gurpal Singh, a resident of Surkhan village, and other homeless labourers, a resolution would be passed in the village gram sabha on the provision of residential plots.

It was demanded that action be taken against those who were not present during the meeting.

The matter was investigated by DSP Bholath in the presence of Bholath tehsildar and the Block Development and Panchayat Officer, Nadala. The lambardar of the village, among others, sought an apology over the issue.

Panchayat members said a meeting of the panchayat would be called within a week. The activists of the union said a resolution would be passed to award requisite plots to homeless labourers and farmers.

Gurpal’s wife Harjit Kaur had contested the elections as the village sarpanch.