Dhangadhi, May 6: Nineteen bonded labourers (Kamaiyas) of Geta VDC, Kailali have jointly filed a complaint against their landlord and ex-minister of state Shivaraj Pant at Geta VDC office demanding entitlement to their wages as per the minimum wage rates fixed by His Majesty’s Government.

According to the Kamaiyas, they do not get any benefits or wages except 15 quintals of paddy a year, and they are compelled to work more than eight hours a day as ordered by the landlord. The 15 quintals of paddy is given only to the Kamaiya man and wife, not their dependents, they said.

After the Kamaiyas, who are living in huts in public land near the landlord’s land, started demanding minimum wage, the landlord is reported to have threatened them with physical torture and eviction from the public land. For the fear of possible torture and eviction, the bonded labourers filed the complaint seeking security and their rights, it is said.

A procession of Kamaiyas that originated from the Geta eye hospital premises under the leadership of Backward Society Education (base) on the occasion of the International May Day went to the Geta VDC office to file the complaint.

When contacted for comment, landlord Pant said he has been providing 15 quintals of paddy a year to each of the Kamaiyas and has also provided small piece of land to live in. In addition to this, he added, he has been providing money and paddy when burrowed by the Kamaiyas and making them work as per the Kamaiya system. As for his threats he said he does not have the right to evict the Kamaiyas from the public land.

Even after working for the landlord for 25 to 30 years, the Kamaiyas are supposed to pay back money ranging from Rs. 35,000 to Rs. 65,000 and 47 quintals of paddy to the landlord, according to base central member Yagya Raj Chaudhari.

Despite a constitutional provision which has proscribed bonded labour system, the system still exists in various Terai districts including Banke, Bardiya, Kailali, Kanchanpur and Dang.