Finance firm seals defaulter’s house, farmers' body reopen it

A private finance company sealed the house of a farmer and evicted his family in Panghal village of Hisar district. However, local farmers’ organisations today reached the spot, reopened the house and helped the family return home.

Activists from several farmers’ bodies, including the Samyukta Kisan Majdoor Badopatti Toll Committee, All India Kisan Sabha, Khet Mazdoor Union, Bhyan Khap, and villagers of Panghal, gathered after learning about the family’s plight.

According to farmer activist Shardanand Rajli, the family had been forced to spend two nights on the street along with their children. On November 3, Shubham Housing Development Finance Company Limited sealed the house of Suresh Kumar, a farmer from Panghal village, over loan arrears. Rajli termed the move “inhuman”, saying the company’s action left the family homeless.

Another activist, Shamsher Nambardar, said he had phoned the firm’s manager to object to the sealing of the house. When the matter remained unresolved, the activists reopened the house and reinstated the family.

The evicted family — Suresh Kumar, his wife Santosh Devi, son Harish Kumar, daughter-in-law Monika, and grandson Khushwant — holds a Below Poverty Line (BPL) card. Activists said the family had taken a Rs 5.6 lakh loan from Shubham Housing Company for seven years, of which Rs 2.34 lakh had already been repaid through instalments. However, due to prolonged waterlogging in the area and financial hardship, the family could not pay the remaining instalments on time. The activists alleged that the company sealed the entire house, locking inside food grains, clothes and household goods.

Rajli alleged that such actions by private finance firms were arbitrary and anti-farmer. He pointed out that Panghal village was badly affected by waterlogging and that the government had earlier assured farmers that no coercive recovery measures would be taken during the relief period. “Contrary to that assurance, companies are throwing poor farmers onto the streets. This is inhuman and unjust,” he said.

When contacted, Deepak Kumar, an employee of Shubham Housing Development Finance Company, said the action was taken only after the borrower was declared a non-performing asset (NPA) and following due legal process based on orders of a local court.