‘Denied’ reserved land, Tolewal Dalits cry foul, launch indefinite protest

Sangrur, August 19

After the cancellation of auction of reserved land for them nine times, the Dalits of Tolewal village under the banner of the Zameen Prapti Sangharsh Committee have started an indefinite hunger strike in front of the Sangrur Deputy Commissioner’s office. 

The protesters are demanding that the administration must give them the reserved land on lease for 33 years. “The village panchayat had passed a resolution after calling a gram sabha as per law to hand over the reserved land to the Dalits for 33 years but some politicians want to take possession of the land through dummy bidders. We will not allow it at any cost,” said Mukesh Malaud, district president of the committee. “We will intensify our agitation in the coming days,” he added.

On July 1, 15 persons had suffered injuries after a clash between two groups in the village over the auction of reserved land for the Dalits from the village common land. The Dalits had alleged that upper caste men had attacked them. Malerkotla -1 BDPO Amandeep Kaur couldn’t be contacted as her phone was out of coverage area. — TNS