Phillaur labourers’ death: Farmer, labour unions to block highway tomorrow

Jalandhar, September 18

Two Phillaur labourers were run over by a train on September 14, while returning from a three-day dharna outside the residence of the Chief Minister in Sangrur, held over some of their long-pending demands. Now, a huge dharna will be held in solidarity with the deceased labourers on September 20.

The Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) has also declared its support for farm and labour unions’ highway jam on September 20, demanding Rs 10 lakh to the families of each of the deceased labourers as compensation, and government jobs for the kin.

In a joint press statement issued today, BKU Ekta Ugrahan President Joginder Singh Ugrahan and General Secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokari Kalan said the state’s AAP government after forcing farm labourers to take to the path of protest, was turning its face away from their plight by denying them compensation. The union will stand by labourer organsations. They said the union’s district pesants will lend complete solidarity to the dharna on September 20.

Village and farm labourers’ unions have been on a dharna outside the SDM office in Phillaur since September 15. Peasants and field workers’ groups like the Pendu Mazdoor Union, the Dehati Mazdoor Sabha, the Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union and the Punjab Khet Mazdoor Sabha, have announced a huge morcha on the Amritsar- Delhi highway in Phillaur, for September 20.

While the incident took place on September 14, the bodies of the two deceased labourers are yet to be cremated. Both in their 50s, one hailed from Wadala village in Phillaur while the other one from the Pabwan village in Phillaur. Pendu Mazdoor Union State President Tarsem Peter said, “These labourers died fighting for their rights. But governments typically do not pay heed to the death of a labour. We will cotinue our protest and the dharna on Septmeber 20 until their families are compensated. Their families have also refused to cremate them until then. While the district Red Cross compensated Rs 50,000 each to both the families today, the Jalandhar administration has prmised that they will be fully compensated by Monday afternoon. However, if the demand is not fulfilled until thenm we will proceed with our dharna.”

The state government has been accused of ignoring various demands made by labourers. On Tuesday, these unions will be holding a morcha at Phillaur to demand compensation for the kin of the deceased.