BKU Ekta-Ugrahan Frees Land Forcibly Acquired for NHAI

On 29 Aug, farmers in Malerkotla, led by Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU Ekta Ugrahan) members, freed land across a 17 km stretch forcibly acquired by the Panjab govt. for the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway. Three weeks back, Union Minister for Transport Nitin Gadkari had canceled multiple National Highways Authority of India road projects in the state over difficulty in acquiring land (SDW Vol. 2 Issue 33, Story 2). Two weeks back, the Punjab and Haryana High Court had granted the state two weeks to acquire the land. Last week the govt. had taken possession of the land but farmers in Sarod and Ranwan villages in Malerkotla were unhappy over inadequate compensation and acquisition of their land without consent. BKU Ekta Ugrahan stepped in and marched along the route on foot breaking 15 police barricades. At one point, the police had placed trucks on the route which farmers pushed aside, then they deployed women police constables and farmers ensured they moved aside. The farmers finally managed to free the whole tract without any injuries or damages. Gurpreet Singh, a member of BKU (Ekta Ugrahan), accused the government of misusing power by taking possession of the land without engaging in discussions with the farmers. The district administration, however, insisted that compensation had already been provided, noting that delays in land acquisition were due to disputes among family members of the landowners. Joginder Singh Ugrahan, the head of BKU Ekta Ugrahan complimented his cadre. Later, a 10-member committee was formed to address the farmers’ grievances, with assurances from the administration that no development work would proceed until the committee reached a decision.