While the traditional Haliyas didn´t have to pay the interest in return for their hard work, Bhuwan Singh Sunar´s loan has not been written off even after paying a significant sum in interest. Sunar, 75, reached the creditor´s house with Rs 12,000 last week for repayment of the loan taken on March 30, 1990. But Moti Lal Aryal demanded Rs 24,000 and threatened to capture the Sunars´ house and land for failing to do so.[break]
The Sunars have a small thatched hut, two pairs of oxen, four goats, a pig and a small piece of land in property and make ends meet by working in others´ land on daily wages. The fact that they had to till Aryal´s land for 21 years has further limited the opportunities of income for the family.
Bhuwan´s oldest son lives separately, while the second is differently-abled, leaving the burden of loan on the youngest son. Bhuwan Singh had gone to repay the loan saving the money he had borrowed for funeral rites of his wife who had passed a month ago.
“My father-in-law and husband are simpletons. Mother-in-law was the only clever person and the illiterate family is now doomed after her demise,” Sushila, wife of the youngest son, said.
“My father has tilled the land for 21 years and I have done it for 17 years. And we have been wronged while trying to repay the loan,” Bir Bahadur, the youngest son, pleaded for justice. “We have spent our life tilling your land and my sons and grandsons can no longer till your land for free,” Bir Bahadur added.
The landlord maintained that he has done no injustice to the family. “Don´t you fear god. Do other Haliyas also talk so badly about their landlords,” Moti Lal blasted Bhuwan Singh who pleaded for mercy on Saturday.
Moti Lal also accused this scribe of trying to disturb harmony in the village. “Don´t write in support of those trying to break the village rule. You may have to face the consequences if you try to bring divisions in society,” he warned the correspondent.
Chet Narayan Aryal, the village leader who was also a witness to the written agreement while making the deal 21 years ago, claimed that Moti Lal hadn´t done anything wrong.
“This is a practice of lending money at 10% interest, which we ourselves have borrowed at 20%, and making them work in return for the subsidy,” Chet Narayan, who was summoned by Moti Lal´s wife, claimed. “How can you call the deal done of free will an injustice,” Chet Narayan questioned and maintained that Bhuwan Singh had to honor the deal as many more Haliyas in the village were doing.
A teacher at the local Ravi Kiran Secondary School also claimed that Haliya system was still prevalent in the village 35 kilometers away from the district headquarters. “There are even those who have worked for 30 years for a loan of Rs 3,000. But they don´t come forward for fear of losing their livelihoods,” the teacher said and warned this scribe of threat from the landlords for opposing the practice.
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