Unions gherao Bhattal’s house, end stir after kin accept relief

Parvesh Sharma

Tribune News Service

Sangrur, November 18

Members of various organisations today gheraoed the residence of former CM Rajinder Kaur Bhattal at Lehra in the district, seeking justice for deceased Dalit Jagmale Singh’s family. The indefinite protest started at Changaliwala village on Sunday was shifted to Bhattal’s residence today after members of the organisations alleged that the former CM used derogatory remarks against them.

But the organisations ended the protest in the evening after the government accepted their demands.

“Bhattal had been supporting the accused and last evening, she used derogatory language and alleged that the organisations were not allowing family to talk to the government. Instead of helping the family of Jagmale, she was creating problems,” alleged Mukesh Malaud, president, Zameen Prapati Sangharash Committee (ZPSC).

BKU Ugrahan Lehra block president Dharminder Pashore alleged that Congress leaders were creating problems and pressuring the family for a compromise. “The failure of the government in protecting Dalits is leading to repeated attacks on them. Bhattal does not have any right to insult anyone,” he said.

Bhattal denied having used derogatory language against anyone, saying that she had full sympathy with the family of the deceased and would try to help them in every possible way.

In the evening, Manjit Kaur, wife of Jagmale, along with her relatives attended a meeting with Cabinet Minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Vijay Inder Singh, Charanjit Singh Channi, and political secretary to CM Sandeep Sandhu. During the meeting, the ministers accepted the demands of the family.

Bhattal said the demands included Rs 20 lakh compensation (Rs 6 lakh after postmortem and the remaining on the day of bhog), filing of chargesheet within a week, probe by an ADGP-rank officer into the alleged negligence by the cops concerned.

“Apart from Rs 20 lakh, the government will also give Rs 1.25 lakh to family for the repair of their house, six-month ration to family and all expense of the bhog, free education to all three children of the deceased till graduation and a government job to Jagmale’s wife Manjit Kaur,” Bhattal said.