MLA held hostage at village

Lovleen Bains

Doraha, March 16

Members of a farmers’ union held Payal MLA Manwinder Singh Giaspura hostage in a room at Rampur village here today in resentment against the latter for handing over a cheque amounting to Rs 2 lakh instead of an ‘assured’ sum of Rs 5 lakh as compensation for a farmer of the village who allegedly breathed his last during a dharna at Fatehgarh Sahib in September last year.

The MLA, along with the president of the Nagar Council, Doraha, Sudarshan Kumar Pappu, tried to hand over a cheque for Rs 2 lakh as compensation to the family of Kuldeep Singh, who had died while staging a dharna on the Sirhind-Fatehgarh Sahib road at Tarkhan Majra village on September 30, 2022.

Leaders of the Kisan Union Ekta (Sidhupur), who were present at the spot, were irked over the apathy of the state government, which had assured a sum of Rs 5 lakh as compensation. They held the MLA hostage in a room in which he was sitting. They refused to release him till the assured amount of Rs 5 lakh was granted to the family of the farmer.

Senior vice-president of the BKU (Ekta) Sidhupur Jasveer Singh told this correspondent that the unions had staged a dharna at Fathegarh Sahib after the death of the farmer of the village and demanded due compensation for the family. “The protest was lifted on the assurance of the DC, Fatehgarh Sahib, that a compensation of Rs 5 lakh would be given to the family. As the farmer protesters who breathed their last during protest at Delhi had been duly compensated, farmers who had lost their lives during dharnas at other places should also be given relief in a similar way. Today, the MLA came with a cheque amounting to Rs 2 lakh

which angered us due to which we held him hostage in a room,” he said.

The administration and the police had to intervene to bring the situation under control. Payal SDM Jasleen Bhullar, along with, DSP Harsimrat Chetra reached the spot and rescued the MLA.

Showing a documentary proof to the farmer leaders, the SDM said a compensation of Rs 5 lakh was demanded from the CM’s Office but a sum of Rs 2 lakh arrived.

“We have, however, contacted the CM’s Office again which has told that a meeting will be held on coming Tuesday in this regard and assured that required action would be taken,” the SDM said.

Later, the MLA apologised to union leaders and said he did not intend to hurt the sentiments of the farmers. He also assured the agitating growers of full compensation. Afterwards, they released him on the condition of fulfillment of their demand at the earliest.