Dalit community members have raised their voices against wrongful auction of Panchyati agricultural land reserved for them in Kaidpur village, Patiala. The auction took place on June 23, 2018. According to the villagers, of the 33 acres reserved for them, 16 acres were allotted to one bidder which violates the regulations provided under Punjab Common Village Land Policy. They have accused the District Development and Panchayat Officer (DDPO) of compromising the policy. They protested outside DDPO office on June 26, of this year, as per the report. However, they failed to get any response, Later in the evening, the protesters were arrested. They were released on bail the next day. They continued with protests in front of the District Administrative Complex on June 27 as well. Following this, an inquiry was put in place, headed by Additional Deputy Commissioner.
According to a news report, Dalit residents continue to protest against the second auction as well, arguing that the land has been allotted to two fake bidders who were proxies for upper caste men. They claim that the venue was changed without informing them to prevent them from being present for the bidding and that political pressure has a role to play. However, DDPO has denied the allegations.
Region Classification
Type of Land
Common
Private and Common
Type of Common Land
Non-Forest (Other than Grazing Land)
Total investment involved (in Crores):
₹
Type of investment:
Land Area Affected
(in Hectares):