Secretary of a cooperative society allegedly misbehaved with a farmer who visited the office to get registration to sell his Kharif crop at Bolgarh area in Khordha district.
A video purportedly showing a farmer being heckled by the secretary of Pichukoli cooperative society in Khordha district has gone viral on internet. The video that is doing rounds on social media platforms also showed a verbal duel between the farmer and the secretary.
As per allegation, Sai Ranjan Patnaik, a farmer from Siuli village under Bolgarh block visited the local cooperative society office for sale of his Kharif paddy.
Also Read
However, the society secretary, Radhakant Patnaik allegedly refused to permit his registration as a loan taken by his father long ago was still pending. Instead he allegedly heckled the farmer and shouted at him before pushing him out of the office.
Sai Ranjan however clarified that even though his father had taken a loan in 2007, the society had not served any notice regarding loan recovery.
“My father had borrowed a loan in 2007 and he died in 2013. The officials have not sent any notice to us till today. Why should they misbehave with me in front of others and deny my registration,” questioned Sai Ranjan.
On the other hand, the secretary said that society officials had visited him several times but failed to find him at his village.
“We had visited his house many times to recover the loan. But, they are not living in the village currently,” Radhakant said.
“When he came today, I just told him to recover the loan which his father had taken long ago. We will have to collect the loan amount from him,” added Radhakant.
Sought for comment in this regard, Khordha DRCC Rojalin Senapati has assured action against the erring official after an inquiry.
“The farmer (Sai Ranjan) should lodge a formal complaint based on which we would initiate an inquiry and take action accordingly,” Senapati added.
Meanwhile, the farmers’ organisation has taken the matter seriously.
“The officials who are misbehaving with farmers should be kept away from the office. Misbehaviour with farmers in any form can’t be tolerated. The Naba Nirman Krushak Sanghathan (NNKS) would intensify agitation against such officials in coming days,” said Suresh Mansingh, President of Naba Nirman Krushak Sanghathan, Khordha.