Elevating tension in Haryana, a fraction of Dalits from a village have threatened conversion alleging the inaction by state authorities against some persons who allegedly ‘illegally occupied’ land given to them, by the state. The land was allotted to them by a cooperative society formed under the Punjab Nazul Act 1956.
The villagers allege that between 2010 to 2014, a number of high-profile people including some who claimed to be from BJP had illegally grabbed 600 acres of Nazul land which also included 41 acres from Dhidwara village. They also said that despite lodging several complaints on July 13 last year, the police did not act because of the clout of those involved.
However, chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar has assigned his OSD Jagdish Chopra to look into the matter after some of the Dalit community members met him. As, the villagers protested in front of the mini secretariat for the last four days, the Dalit families have alleged that the police had warned them of “dire consequence” if they don’t stop their protest.
Congress state president Ashok Tanwar who came to support the Dalits alleged that since the BJPgovernment came to power the atrocities against them have been on the rise.
“The labour class and Dalits are targeted in the rule of BJP. The law and order situation in the state has become a joke since the day BJP came to power,” he said.
The villagers have asked for a CBI probe and demanded that their land be returned or else they will convert and migrate.
