A delegation of Sahakar Bharati Punjab met the Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari and handed over him a memorandum. The issue relates to curbing the activities of land mafias who cheat innocent farmers in the name of getting them compensation for their land, acquired by the NHAI.
The delegation comprised Shankar Dutt Tiwari, North Regional Organization Head, Balram Das Bawa, Head Punjab, Ajmer Singh Bhagpur Milk Dairy Cell Chief Punjab, along with farmers.
The National Highway Authority of India is building roads in Punjab where scores of land sharks have become active. The Sahakar Bharati team demanded that co-operatives be involved in giving justice to the farmers.
In the past, some people in Punjab took crores of rupees by showing fruit orchards in empty lands, and the farmers were given peanuts, said Shankar Dutt Tiwari.
The tragedy is when a farmer gets a low rate and complains to the administration, they ask them to go for arbitration, a never ending process for the poor farmers.
Sahakar Bharti Punjab is ready to fight this injustice and will protect the interests of the farmers. “We will expose such elements and intensify the struggle, ” added Tiwari.