On Friday, greater than 200 members of farmers’ organizations had been booked for protesting in opposition to the entry of senior BJP chief and chairman of National SC/ST Panel Vijay Sampla into Phapre Bhai village of Mansa. Sampla was to go to the village to fulfill the household of a 20-year-old youth, who died allegedly because of torture in police custody on May 22.
The protesters had been booked below the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act on the grievance of the household of the deceased. Sources mentioned the Dalit households of the village and even the Dalit unions weren’t a part of the farmers’ protest on Friday.
Also on Friday, Budhlada SHO Surjan Singh was suspended and an FIR was registered in opposition to him below the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act for the alleged custodial torture of Dalit youth Manpreet Singh.
Manpreet’s mom Bhappi Kaur mentioned, ‘My son used to stay along with his sister in Budhlada. On May 22, after a dispute with some neighbors, the police picked him up from the home. I went from Mansa to Budhlada and at last my son was allowed to go residence the identical day at 11 pm. The police requested us to carry him again the subsequent day. However, my son died the identical evening.
Before his demise, he was repeatedly saying that he was tortured by the police and that he didn’t wish to go to the police station once more. “
Bhappi had written a letter to the SC/ST Commission on May 25, following which Sampla determined to fulfill the household.
But a lot earlier than his arrival on Friday, farmer unions staged a sit-in in any respect seven entry factors of village Phapre Bhai and raised slogans in opposition to the BJP, Sampla and the Centre.
Sampla was taken to the police traces and so they waited for greater than 3 hours on the mess, the place lastly the complainant Bhappi Kaur was known as to fulfill Sampla.
BKU (Ugrahan) Mansa unit president Ram Singh Bhainibagha mentioned, “We have full sympathy with the Dalit household, whose son died allegedly because of police torture. We will at all times stand with them for justice. However, this protest was in opposition to the BJP chief.”
BKU (Dakonda) block president Balwinder Sharma mentioned, “Dharna was held by all farmers unions of Punjab under the banner of United Kisan Morcha as our protest was against BJP. We are already going on solid dharnas outside the homes of more than 30 BJP leaders in Punjab. We have already announced that we will not allow BJP leaders to enter villages, so we did the same.”
He mentioned, “We knew that an FIR could be registered in opposition to us below the SC/ST Act as Sampla is the chairman of the SC/ST fee. But we aren’t afraid of FIR. We will proceed to protest in opposition to BJP leaders.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Sampla mentioned, “The protesters weren’t farmers. He was the one who’s the social gathering of the oppressors of Dalits. I had gone to fulfill the household who wrote to me that even after greater than 10 days after the demise of the Dalit boy, no motion has been taken by the police. I needed to name mother to the police line to fulfill me as a result of I’m on responsibility
Give justice to each Dalit household. After my intervention, the SHO was suspended and an FIR was registered in opposition to him.
The household will get Rs 8.25 lakh as compensation in two installments below the SC/ST Act. The first installment of fifty p.c shall be given to the household by subsequent week… The district administration has been directed to begin giving a pension of Rs 5,000 per thirty days to the mom and a minor little one of the household is entitled to free research until commencement, if the kid needs. The administration has been directed to pay the quantity as a result of mom of the deceased for the development of her home.
He mentioned: “The blocking road is denying justice to Dalits… I am bound to help every Dalit and will continue to visit villages whenever needed.”
In a press release issued late within the night, the SKM mentioned the BJP was attempting to create a divide among the many villagers as makes an attempt had been being made to create a rift between the Dalits and the final class folks.
Bhainibagha mentioned: “The filing of an FIR against us through the villagers is a direct message to create a division… but the labor brotherhood is always with us. We appeal to them to stay connected with us. Meanwhile DC Mansa Mohinderpal said “I’ve deputed the District Social Welfare Officer to look into the matter and supply reduction to the household as per the Act. His file must be accomplished earlier than getting monetary reduction,” mentioned.
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
