Dalit labourers protest in front of Punjab FM Harpal Singh Cheema’s office

Sangrur, February 20

Under the banner of the Zameen Prapati Sanghrash Committee, Dalit labourers from various villages of Dirba area today staged a dharna in front of the office of Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema at Dirba in support of their demands. These include implementation of land reforms and ownership rights of houses falling within the lal dora area of villages back to the labourers.

Addressing Dalit labourers, committee leaders Gurwinder Singh, Harcharan Singh and Baljit Singh said that the Aam Aadmi Party-led state government had been ignoring demands of the labourers for a long time due to which there was resentment among them against the government. They also announced that in case no steps were initiated for solving their demands, they would intensify their agitation in March.

Later, the administration fixed a meeting for February 22 in this regard after the in-charge at the Finance Minister’s office received the memorandum from the protesting labourers.