Farmers hold protest rally against land acquisition for SEZs

Chandigarh, Sep 20 (UNI) The farmers of Punjab today held a protest dharna and rally here under the banner of Kirti Kisan Union, demanding that the acquisition of agricultural land for the special economic zones (SEZs) and other such projects be immediately stopped.

Holding placards with slogans like 'Stop Displacement of Peasants', 'Stop uprooting Farmers on Pretext of Development', nearly 2,000 activists marched from the Parade Ground to Matka Chowk, where they held a rally.

Criticising the central government and the state governments for the acquisition of agricultural land in various parts of the country, Kirti Kisan Union president Nirbhai Singh Dhudike said if this trend of ''snatching land from the farmers'' did not stop, the country would soon witness a major unrest in several agrarian states like Punjab Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

He said the ongoing acquisition of about 25,000 acres in the neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana by the Reliance Group and other big companies under the SEZ plans should immediately be halted.

Such developments in other states like West Bengal and Rajasthan were crushing the farming communities and the landless peasants there as well, he said.

The Kirti Kisan Union is the frontal organisation of All India Kisan Mazdoor Sabha in Punjab.

Meanwhile, the Indian Federation of Trade Unions (IFTU) here has condemned the Haryana government for non-implementation of labour laws in various textile units in Panipat district.

Over 30,000 workers have been holding protests against the closure of several small and cottage textile units in Panipat for the last one year but the Haryana government had not responded to the hue and cry of the workers, IFTU spokesman Sant Ram here said.

The IFTU today submitted a memorandum to Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, demanding withdrawal of ''false cases'' against the agitating workers who were booked following an agitation in Panipat on September eleven.

UNI PS VA VV1755