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Punjab farmers not blamed over issue of bonded labourers in border villages, says MHA

MHA says it has only sought appropriate action against human trafficking syndicates

[File] Farmers block a road at Singhu border during their 'chakka jam' protest on February 6 |  PTI [File] Farmers block a road at Singhu border during their 'chakka jam' protest on February 6 | PTI

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs on Saturday dismissed media reports that it had written to the Punjab government allegedly levelling grave charges against the farmers over issue of bonded labourers in border villages. The ministry said it had only sought appropriate action against human trafficking syndicates.

“These news reports are misleading and present a distorted and highly editorialized opinion of a simple observation about a socioeconomic problem emerging from four sensitive border districts of Punjab over a period of two years, which has been brought to the attention of this Ministry by the concerned CAPF,” the MHA said in a statement.

It said no motive can be ascribed to a letter issued by the ministry to a particular state or states as this is part of routine communication over law and order issues. “This letter has also been forwarded to Secretary, Union Ministry of Labour and Employment with a request to carry out a sensitization exercise in all States, with an aim to check the duping of vulnerable victims at the hands of unscrupulous elements,” the statement said.

The MHA alleged that some of the news reports about its letter to the Punjab government have juxtaposed in a totally unrelated context to conclude that the ministry has framed “grave charges” against the farmers of the state and has also connected this with the ongoing farmers’ agitation. 

“The letter clearly and only states that 'human trafficking syndicates' hire such labourers and they are 'exploited, paid poorly and meted out inhuman treatment' besides luring them with drugs to extract more labour affecting their 'physical and mental health',” the ministry said.

“Keeping in view the multi-dimensional and overwhelming enormity of the problem, this ministry has only requested the state government(s) to 'take suitable measures to address this serious problem',” the MHA further said. 

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