BKU pays tribute to farmers killed during 2002 Jind agitation

A state-level event was organised by the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) at Gulkani village in Jind district to pay tribute to farmers who lost their lives during the farmer movement in 2002.

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The event was attended by BKU’s youth national president Gaurav Tikait, national general secretary Yudhvir Singh and farmers from across Haryana. Attendees offered floral tributes at statues of the deceased farmers.

Farmer leaders recalled that during the 2002 protest by the BKU, the district administration opened fire on protesting farmers near Gulkani village resulting in deaths of nine protesters. Those who died included five from Rajpura Bhain village — Hawa Singh, Dilbag, Rajesh, Mahasingh and Omprakash — and four from Gulkani village —Bijender Sharma, Ram Gopal, Rajbir and Naresh.

Farmers had recently established statues in their memory at Gulkani village, as the people here had been observing Shaheedi Diwas annually at the same location. The Naugama Khap and the BKU also built a memorial in their honour.

The then Om Prakash Chautala-led INLD government came in confrontation with farmers on the issue of payment of pending electricity bills. While farmers and local residents demanded waiving off bills, the government took tough measures against defaulters which resulted in a stir.

Farmer leaders recalled the ongoing electricity movement in Haryana, which began in 1991. National vice president Ramphal Kandela, state president Ratan Maan, youth state president Ravi Azad, district president Baru Ram, youth leader Bindar Nambardar, press spokesperson Ramraji Dhul and Khap representatives Suresh Bahbalpur, Ummed Jaglan, Dharmpal Ghimana and Jaibir Lohan from Rajpura Bhain were present on the occasion.

During the event, Ratan Maan and Ramraji Dhull announced that the BKU would soon expand its executive committee and take its movement to raise the issues for welfare of farmers to the grassroots level. They also demanded that damaged electricity poles, affected by recent storms, be repaired at the earliest.