Women demand action against unscrupulous moneylenders
VARANASI: Protesting against the practice of usury and social evils, hundreds of women, including many from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s adopted village Nagepur, took to streets in Rajatalab demanding action against usurers (moneylenders who charge exorbitant rate of interest), on Thursday.
Holding posters and banners with slogans against usurers, liquor sellers and other social evils, the women marched in the market and reached tehsil where they submitted a 10-point memorandum of their demands to sub-divisional magistrate Isha Duhan.
A meeting was held at Dak Bangla. Addressing the meeting, Ranju Singh, a social activist, said a Dalit woman Reshami, 40, was allegedly burnt alive in Ballia village on Friday following a dispute with two local moneylenders over repayment of loan.
“The shocking incident reveals that the usurers are exploiting poor families in rural pockets. They are active in villages. There should be action against them,” she said.
Another social activist Tanuja Mishra said that usurers have their network in villages through which they exploit poor people after lending them money. “Serious action is needed against the moneylenders so that this practice comes to an end,” she said. The women also staged a demonstration.
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The shocking incident (burning of a woman) reveals that the usurers are exploiting poor families in rural pockets. They are active in villages. There should be strict action against them
RANJU SINGH, Social activist