How BKU146;s pulling the plug on power reforms

A few kilometres before the road turns toward Kandela village on the Chandigarh-Jind highway, it8217;s blocked by stones and freshly felled...

A few kilometres before the road turns toward Kandela village on the Chandigarh-Jind highway, it8217;s blocked by stones and freshly felled trees. Cross this and you stumble upon armed farmers and a movement without a cause.

For three days, this part of Haryana has been held to ransom by the Bhartiya Kisan Union BKU. The provocation: A Haryana Government waiver package that threatened to solve the issue of outstanding electricity dues at one shot. The BKU8217;s reponse: its activists have held two Deputy SPs as hostages, blocked the highway, pelted vehicles, beaten up a police inspector and torched a police post.

Deputy SP Nagar and his wife. Ravi Batra

8216;8216;We have to resort to desperate measures because these leaders are in the habit of going back on their words after they come to power,8217;8217; said Ghasiram Nain, BKU8217;s Haryana president. He claims that Ajay Chautala and the state agriculture minister had entered into a written agreement in which they agreed to waive off dues since 1991 and provide free electricity. On January 8, the Haryana Government went back on its promise, claims Nain. The government started arresting defaulters on April 13. So far, 70 people have been arrested.

The 5,000 odd crowd that gathered in the mid afternoon sun has been told that the new waiver package is an eyewash: 8216;8216;The government will soon ask you for the rest of the 75 ,8217;8217; bellows a local panchayat leader from a make-shift dais.

The fact is, as per the new scheme, the farmers have an option to pay 25 of their electricity dues since 1991 along with the current bill. Those who cannot afford to pay 25 at one go can pay 50 of their arrears by paying Rs 100 in instalments every month without any interest. Around 50 of Haryana8217;s farmers have paid their dues since May 1. Out of a total of Rs 400-crore in dues, the state has already recovered half of the sum.

Waiting to be rescued are the two Deputy SPs. Dy SP Jagdish Nagar and his wife were on their way from Panchkula to Jind when their car was stopped by farmers. His gunman was beaten up and all three of them taken hostage. They are being kept in a house guarded by BKU activists.

8216;8216;I have been disowned by the police who have made no efforts to rescue me,8217;8217; complained Nagar.

Ashok Kumar, the other Dy SP from the Home Guard, was nabbed while he was on his way to attend a court hearing. 8216;8216;I was on duty. It8217;s sad that after two days, I am still here,8217;8217; he said.

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The administration, though, is in no hurry. 8216;8216;We know the policemen are in no danger since they are locals. We are deliberately not taking any action because we want good sense to prevail. If we move, the blood of innocent farmers will be shed while the rogues will get away,8217;8217; H S Dhankar, Jind8217;s Deputy Commissioner, told The Indian Express. 8216;8216;We are dealing with terrorists out here.8217;8217;

Jind has among the lowest literacy rates and the highest unemployment rates in the state.

The BKU leaders chose Kandela and its adjoining village for another reason: it also has the highest number of defaulters, 8-10 lakh farmers. The 8216;8216;movement8217;8217; is localised in five villages in Jind 8212; Bhuriana, Kadela, Igra, Rajpura and Bilupur and district Kaithal8217;s Simla, Khurana, Kole Khan and Kurad.

An organisation which claims to have no political affiliations is being addressed by local Congress leaders, who have even passed a resolution in the BJU8217;s support.