IEP Chandigarh / Baghapurana (Moga), December 29A
fter running pillar to post, the UK-based NRI Punjabi family originating of village Rode finally saw a ray of hope that their land and house will be freed from illegal possession. Punjab NRI Affairs Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal on Thursday reached the village Rode and assured the victim’s family that the state government will take all possible legal action in this matter. Apart from this, strict legal action will also be taken against every officer and person found guilty.Speaking to the media after visiting the land and house at village Rode, the Cabinet Minister said that UK resident late Harnam Singh and his wife Jaspal Kaur have 17.5 acres of land and ancestral house in the village. It is allegedly illegally occupied by a powerful family of the same village. Some government officials posted at Tehsil Baghapurana in the year 2019 have also been allegedly found involved in the case.He said that the victim’s family had to run pillar to post during the regime of successive government to get their land back, but their efforts had turned futile. Meanwhile, Harnam Singh has passed away with the wish to get the land and house back. Now, this battle is being fought by his relative Surjit Singh.The Minister announced that all possible efforts will be made by the Punjab government to get their land and house back to the family by taking legal action in this matter. Apart from this, legal action will be taken against every officer involved in this case even if some of them already have been retired. He instructed the Deputy Commissioner Poonamdeep Kaur that the victim’s family should be accorded possession of their house in next two days.Mr. Dhaliwal said that the NRIs can submit their applications to us through their relatives and the government will resolve their issues in due time. He said that the Punjab government will try to set up special fast-track courts for the cases of NRIs as soon as possible so that the cases of the NRIs can be settled in quick succession. He said that nodal officers are being appointed by the Punjab government to hear the issues of the NRI Punjabis at the district level who will ensure timely and appropriate resolution of the complaints of the NRI Punjabis specifically.Lashing out on Congress leader Pratap Singh Bajwa, he said that the congress government has supported the tainted officials and others during their regime. They have to support the cause of AAP Government instead of criticizing the latter and tender apology from victims.
