Chaduni launches indefinite dharna in Kurukshetra, accuses DC of being ‘rude’

DC denies charges, says the matter is sub judice, so out of her jurisdiction

Senior farmer leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni and Kurukshetra DC Neha Singh

Senior farmer leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni launched an indefinite dharna in Kurukshetra on Wednesday, accusing Deputy Commissioner Neha Singh of “rude behaviour” during a meeting on long-pending compensation for land acquisition.

The officer, however, strongly denied the allegation, stating, “Farmers’ demands fall outside her jurisdiction. The matter is sub judice.”

The protest outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office drew farmers from nearby villages.

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The agitation stems from land acquisition from 11 villages in Kurukshetra for the Chandigarh-Hisar National Highway 2013. Farmers alleged a disparity in compensation, claiming “land owners in Ambala received a 100 per cent solatium over market value, but those in Kurukshetra were granted only 30 per cent”.

Citing a 2024 protest, Chaduni said, “At that time, officials, including the then DC, had assured us no appeal would be filed if the DC’s court gave a verdict in farmers’ favour. The DC court did rule in the farmers’ favour, ordering 100 per cent solatium and interest until compensation was paid. However, after the transfer of the then DC, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) filed an appeal against the verdict.”

Neha Singh, a 2015-batch IAS officer, took charge as the Deputy Commissioner in November 2024. According to Chaduni, when farmers questioned her about the appeal, she said that “they (NHAI) could file an appeal and we can’t stop them”.

Chaduni alleged, “We reminded her that the previous deputy commissioner had ended the agitation by making a promise to us. We also urged her to inquire with the previous deputy commissioner, but she did not do that.”

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Chaduni claimed that Singh later visited the dharna site and assured the farmers of efforts to expedite the court hearing. However, tensions escalated again on Wednesday. “Today, she was rude. She said that she couldn’t do anything. We then decided to launch a dharna, which will continue till she apologises for her rude behaviour or the government transfers her,” Chaduni said, adding that farmers have been waiting for compensation for 12 years.

Neha Singh told The Indian Express, “I simply told them that the matter was sub judice, so it’s outside her jurisdiction. The allegations of rude behaviour are baseless as some other officers, including the Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM), were also there.”

She added that meetings were held with NHAI officials to resolve the issue, but the authority chose to proceed with the appeal.