SKM condemns police action against farmers protest in Nuh

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella organisation of farmers’ unions, on Tuesday condemned the police action against the farmers holding a sit-in agitation inside Industrial Model Township (IMT) in Nuh’s Rozka Meo.

Farmers of over nine villages have been agitating for the past several months seeking enhanced compensation for over 1,600 acres of land acquired in 2010 for the industrial township.

Nuh Police spokesperson Krishan Kumar said, based on complaints filed by the Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC), 10 people were arrested over the past couple of months for obstructing construction work at IMT.

“The district administration had also imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita in and around the IMT, preventing the gathering of five or more persons,” said Mr. Kumar, adding that the farmers continued to hold an agitation at another site outside the IMT.

‘Police act angered locals’

“The peaceful dharna led by senior leaders of Haryana SKM was launched against the construction work being carried out at the IMT amid the presence of a heavy police force. The tents, chairs, cots and other necessary things were removed from the place. This cowardly conduct of the police has angered the local villagers, including women,” Haryana SKM said in a statement.

Senior SKM leader Comrade Hannan Mollah, accompanied by Inderjit Singh, Sumit Singh and Manoj Kumar, arrived at the Rozka Meo protest site during the day and inquired about the police action. Mr. Mollah praised the agitating farmers for displaying unity and courage in the face of police action which, he said, had failed to browbeat the “justified” struggle.

Mohammed S.P., one of the members of the committee spearheading the agitation, claimed that the local police descended on the agitation site in large numbers late at night on Tuesday and detained over a dozen farmers. “The police also opened fire in the air. The tents, coolers and even the hookah at the site were taken away by the police,” said Mr. Mohammed S.P., a resident of Kherli Kankar village.

The 34-year-old farmer leader said the land belonging to hundreds of farmers was acquired by the HSIIDC for ₹25 lakh per acre in 2010, and the compensation was later enhanced to ₹46 lakh per acre after prolonged agitation.

“Though the farmers were paid ₹21 lakh per acre of the enhanced compensation, the outstanding amount has not been paid to date. Also, the illiterate farmers were tricked into signing certain documents about a no litigation clause in any court of law towards enhancement of the compensation,” alleged Mr. Mohammed S.P.

He said the farmers were demanding that they be allowed the right to legal recourse and be paid the remaining compensation.

Nuh Deputy Commissioner Vishram Kumar Meena, after a meeting with the farmers’ committee during the day, said the district administration would take necessary legal action in case the protesting farmers violate the law and order.

Although some of their demands were unacceptable, issues like giving plots under the Rehabilitation and Resettlement Policy, opening skill centres for youth and providing job opportunities to unskilled people could be discussed, he said.