AAP delegation meets Punjab DGP over ever mounting Atrocities against dalits throughout the state

AAP delegation meets Punjab DGP over ever mounting Atrocities against dalits throughout the state

Urged DGP to constitute a special task force to handle the cases of atrocities against Dalit community- Phoolka

Irregularities in distribution of village common land must stop immediately

Nabaz-e-Punjab Bureau, Chandigarh, May 23:
Aam Aadmi Party delegation led by senior leader and leader of opposition in Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Adv. H.S. Phoolka on Tuesday met DGP Punjab over the atrocities happening against the Dalit community in the state and Director Rural Development and Panchayats regarding Irregularities in distribution of village common land.
Addressing the media, Phoolka said that there have been numerous instances of atrocities against Dalits during last decade. According to NCSC data, the number of total complaints with the Commission increased from 651 in 2007 to a staggering 12834 during Aakli regime. The major cause of these atrocities is that the rich and mighty backed by political leaders want to deprive dalits of their rights.
Phoolka said that earlier the Gunda elements of villages backed by Aklais used to commit these atrocities, now the congress have started doing the same. He said that it is a matter of ensuring constitutional rights of dalit population in the state. Therefore it is needed to constitute a Special Task Force to handle the cases of atrocities against dalit community as the police remains under the influence of local political leadership and this political leadership is primarily responsible for such atrocities.
AAP delegation also met the Director Rural Development and Panchayats in regards to irregularities in distribution of village common land. AAP leaders said that disputes in the past have arisen because of defected system of auctions and allotment of Shamlaat deh land in villages. It has also been noticed that the political leadership want their cronies to grab the best land and give barren lands to dalits.There are even incidents of violence against Dalits when people of SC community confront general category by asserting their right on common land allocation.
Phoolka said that the incident of Jaloor village that happened last year is an example. Recent case of Kashmir Singh of village Bagga, Amritsar has again drawn the attention. He said that Gross violation of ’Punjab Village Common Lands (Regulation) Rules-1964 is observed in the execution of Auction of cultivable land to be leased .The rules require 1/3rd of the Shamlaat land proposed to be leased, to be kept for members of scheduled castes but complaints of its non-compliance at various places have been received.
Phoolka said that the rules also require the auction of lease of land in shamlat deh to be held in the presence of BDOs, BDPOs or DDPOs according to size of holding but it is seen at most places that the exercise took place only in the presence of local panchayat secretaries in an arbitrary manner. This kind of inequity in allocation of land occurs with the connivance of local authority and political leadership.
AAP leaders proposed that a Committee with considerable number of members of SC community should be constituted at district level with Local MLA as its chairman. The auction of lease of land should be held in the presence of Committee members. Also, the land reserved for Dalits should be reshuffled with landlords to ensure that same quality of land is allocated to Dalits.