JVM, JDU and CPI announced that they would fight for the displaced of Barkagaon-Keredari, Hazaribagh, jointly. JVM Supremo Babulal Marandi, CPI’s Bhuvaneshwar Prasad Mehta and JDU’s Bateshwar Prasad Mehta made this announcement in Barkagaon on Tuesday.
After a meeting with the displaced of NTPC Coal Project the leaders’ trio said the incident of August 14 was unfortunate. The Government wanted to suppress the voice of displaced by force but it was not possible. Marandi said Modi Government at the Centre was trying to grab the lands of poor peasants without arranging their livelihood because in this area agriculture was the only and main source of bread for the families of peasants, he added.
In Barkagaon the leaders’ trio met with the displaced of NTPC Coal Projects and tried to know their grievances. The displaced blamed that NTPC was capturing their lands without giving compensation. They said that recently a compensation of Rs 20 lakhs per acre was fixed but it was not according to the law of four times of the circle rate. Besides this, NTPC was building R&R Colony for the displaced in which quarters are very small and the contractor was using low quality material in it.
After getting acquainted with the grievances displaced Marandi said NTPC would have to pay four times of the circle rate to the displaced and if they would not agree then the volunteers of JVM, JDU and CPI would not allow them to work. He also argued the peasants should be given opportunity to build their home by themselves not by contractors. NTPC should allot atleast 10 dismil land to every displaced for house construction.
Earlier Babulal Marandi and other two Mehtas visited JP Central Jail, Hazaribagh, where Ex-MlA Yogendra Sao and 11 others are in judicial custody in 14th August incident. After meeting and talking with them Marandi said that the police has framed false charges against all in custody and demanded their immediate release. Ex-MP Bhuvaneshwar Prasad Mehta directly blamed the NTPC Coal Projects officials for entire episode.
He said he local officials of NTPC never talks with the peasants directly, it is taking help of land mafias to grab the fertile land of the peasants.