BSP MLA 'imprisons' dalits on their own land

BSP legislator Rajbali Jaisal has allegedly occupied a dalit hamlet at Sansarpur village in Allahabad district, about 300 km from here, and has got a boundary wall constructed around it virtually converting the hamlet into a prison confining scores of dalits, who have been given “pattas” (allotment) of the land by the government. The land is situated next to a degree college owned by the MLA and now the latter wants to expand the college.

“The MLA deployed hundreds of labourers and got a boundary wall constructed around the hamlet making it a part of the college,”  said village “pradhan” Shakuntala Devi.

To add insult to the displaced dalits’ injuries, the MLA has now offered them the nearby cremation land. “We are now being asked to settle on the land, where people burn bodies,” said Duasia, a dalit widow who was also among those “imprisoned” by the legislator. The dalits had offered resistance when the boundary was coming up on their land but they were threatened with dire consequences if they raised their voice. “The residents of the hamlet are being threatened and asked to leave their homes or face the consequences,” she added. The MLA appears to be defiant. “I have offered to settle them on another land.

I will make sure that they get government help in getting their house constructed or else I will provide them financial assistance for it,” he said but refused to explain the construction of the boundary wall around the hamlet. BSP legislator Horam Singh had also grabbed cremation land in Bulandshahar district and is getting a marriage hall constructed on it. The land, situated at Kilamewai village in the district, belongs to the Gram Sabha.

Before him, minister of religious affairs Rajesh Tripathi had also illegally occupied government land meant for cremation in Gorakhpur district,   and constructed a marriage hall next to it.