Purulia Village Women Protesting Land Acquisition Freed After 14-Day Police Custody
Image Courtesy: Twitter/@CPIM_WESTBENGAL
Kolkata: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) government is on a land acquisition spree in several hillocks in the Purulia district to construct industrial parks.
The hillocks, including Jyochandi Pahar, Tilabani, and Agharpur Dungri, considered sacred by the locals, have been leased out to corporate entities.
About a fortnight ago, when 13 tribal women of Agharpur Dungri protested the demarcation of land by the police and administrative officials, they were dragged by their hair and detained for ‘disturbing’ the law and order. The women had demanded that only barren land, not public land, be demarcated for building industrial parks.
The police have detained 13 women including a baby on false charges. They were not released till now. On November 17th, the deputation of the AIDWA WB was prevented by the puppet police of TMC Govt from entering the Agharpur village.
— CPI(M) WEST BENGAL (@CPIM_WESTBENGAL) November 18, 2023
There was palpable anger in Agharpur, which was dark on Diwali. The women, including three lactating mothers with their babies in tow, were locked in the police station for 14 days.
No political party, including the opposition BJP, except for the CPI(M) protested the police brutality.
The CPI(M) blocked Purulia town by holding a huge rally that was joined by Agharpur women and protested before the DM’s office on Thursday against the “looting of the natural resources” in the name of development.
On November 4th, some people came to Agharpur village in Jaipur block of Purulia to take land for corporate house. The villagers protested against the grabbing of land, taking away the natural resources & agricultural land.
+thread pic.twitter.com/Vndwt9VHIh— CPI(M) WEST BENGAL (@CPIM_WESTBENGAL) November 18, 2023
CPI(M) state secretary Md Salim met the families of the detained women in Agharpur and said that the party would continue to protest the land acquisition in the name of development.
“Natural resources are being handed over to corporates entities at meagre licence fees in the name of development. Corporate entities will use land of tribals and locals for real estate or tourism,” he said.
Saluting the “bravery of villagers”, he said that the CPI(M) would support them in their quest for justice. Terming the arrests illegal, he said, “Court cases would be lodged against the Purulia Police.”
Salim alleged that the women were beaten in the lock-up, which is “against the law”. “Cases would be filed against the atrocity,” he added.
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