NPP leaders join farmers’ hunger strike
Excelsior Correspondent
UDHAMPUR, Aug 30: Expressing the anguish over the exploitation of the farmers, former MLA and NPP president Balwant Singh Mankotia demanded early release of land compensation to aggrieved farmers whose agriculture land has been acquired by the Army.
He warned the concerned authorities that if compensation would not be released soon, mass movement would be launched by the NPP workers with farmers who have provided their agriculture land.
A large number of aggrieved farmers from Jin, Rehmbal and Dhanodi village sat on 24-hour hunger strike under the banner of Panthers Kisaan Council at Udhampur on Thursday.
While addressing the protestors, Mankotia claimed that large number of farmers adjoining Udhampur town had given their land to Army.. Unfortunately, farmers have not received the adequate land compensation for their agriculture land. He asked the concerned authorities to release the land compensation or vacate the acquired land so that farmers can use the same for cultivation.
Mankotia cleared that they are patriotic and not against Army but they are against those officers/ authorities who exploit the farmers. He further claimed that farmers have provided their land with the assurance that land should be used for defence purposes and no construction would take place and also assurance was made to provide job to one of the family members in MES or in FDO. But authorities have failed to fulfill the promises made with the aggrieved farmers as nor employment neither appropriate compensation has been provided to farming community.
“It is amazing that construction on the agriculture land has been done brazenly by violating the agreement made with the farmers of Udhampur district and employment has been given to youth from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and other states,” regretted Mankotia.
Panthers Kissan Council tehsil president Sanjay Sharma and Dhanodi Sarpanch, Rakesh Sharma while addressing claimed that being owner of huge land, their families have been forced to starvation. Dhani Ram Attri and Jagdev Jagga also addressed the gathering.
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