Sukhbir Badal vows to return land to farmers if SAD wins 2027 polls
Badal's comments came days after the Punjab and Haryana High Court stayed the implementation of the land pooling policy, which aimed at acquiring over 65,000 acres of land across 21 cities and towns for urban and industrial development.
In 2016, the SAD-BJP government passed Punjab Assembly Satluj-Yamuna Link Canal Land (Transfer of Property Rights) Bill, 2016 to return 3,928 acres of the land acquired for the project.
Addressing a political conference on the occasion of Rakhar Punya (Raksha Bandhan), Badal said, 'We can sacrifice our life but will not allow even one inch of land to be forcibly acquired from the farmers. From September 1, we will launch the 'Jameen Bachao — Punjab Bachao Morcha', an indefinite march from Gurdwara Sri Amb Sahib in Mohali to the new Sheesh Mahal where AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal is residing'.
He alleged that AAP was acquiring 65,000 acres of fertile land 'for peanuts' and giving it to 'builders from Delhi' as part of a Rs 30,000-crore deal. He claimed the land registry and change-of-use processes had been stopped, creating problems for farmers.
Badal announced that a future SAD government would 'ban outsiders from purchasing land in Punjab' and ensure that '80 per cent of jobs in new companies go to Punjabis.' He also pledged to restore the Atta-Daal and Shagun schemes and increase old-age pensions.
Referring to past electoral setbacks, Badal alleged that the AAP and Congress had 'together defamed' the SAD and claimed that the AAP was linked to the 2016 Malerkotla sacrilege incident.
He condemned the registration of what he called 'false cases' against the party's senior leader Bikram Singh Majithia. 'Now the police are harassing Akali workers in Majha to implicate him in more cases,' he said.
Urging people to 'strengthen the SAD' to protect Punjab's interests, Badal accused the Congress and the AAP of harming the state and its institutions.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
17 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
Parliament panel slams govt for keeping MGNREGS funding static at Rs 86,000 crore since 2023–24
NEW DELHI: A parliamentary panel on Monday criticised the government for not increasing the allocation under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), expressing concern that funding has remained static at Rs 86,000 crore since the revised estimates of 2023–24. In a report tabled in Parliament, the Department-Related Parliamentary Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj stressed that the effective implementation of the scheme hinges on 'timely and adequate' funding. 'The Committee is concerned to note that the allocation has remained unchanged since the 2023–24 revised estimates,' the report stated. It added that given MGNREGS's role in providing employment to rural and marginalised communities, consistent funding is essential for uninterrupted implementation. The panel questioned the government's rationale behind the stagnation in allocations, particularly for a demand-driven scheme like MGNREGS. It reiterated its earlier recommendation to reassess funding needs and raise allocations at the revised estimate stage if necessary. In its response, the Department of Rural Development (DoRD) maintained that fund disbursal is a 'continuous and demand-driven process,' and assured that the Centre remains committed to ensuring timely fund availability in coordination with the Ministry of Finance. The committee, however, dismissed the reply as 'stereotypical' and lacking seriousness, noting it merely outlined procedural aspects without addressing the core funding concerns. 'The Committee feels an immediate need for greater coordination between the DoRD and Ministry of Finance to ensure seamless implementation,' the report said. It reaffirmed its call for increased allocation to meet the scheme's objectives. According to budget data, Rs 89,153.71 crore was spent on MGNREGS in 2023–24. However, allocations for 2024–25 and 2025–26 remained fixed at Rs 86,000 crore each.
The Hindu
17 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Sacking of Rajanna exposes Congress' ‘anti-Dalit' face, says BJP
The BJP has maintained that the sacking of Scheduled Tribes leader K.N. Rajanna from the Cabinet over his views on 'voter theft' had revealed the 'true anti-Dalit face' of the Congress, besides exposing the hollowness of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's claims of championing the cause of Ahinda (Kannada acronym for minorities, OBCs, and Dalits). In a social media post, BJP State president B.Y. Vijayendra said: 'This is the true face of Congress — anti-Dalit, anti-democratic and anti-truth. It also exposes the hollowness of Mr. Siddaramaiah's claims of championing the Ahinda cause. When leaders from these communities are targeted, he does not defend them. Instead, he bows to the diktats of the Delhi high command to safeguard his own position as Chief Minister.' He said that Mr. Rajanna, a senior Dalit leader, was removed from the State Cabinet 'for merely speaking the truth.' 'Clear pattern' Mr. Vijayendra further claimed: 'The pattern is clear. In the case of erstwhile ST Welfare Minister Nagendra, funds earmarked for the development of the community were siphoned off to finance Congress's election expenses. Instead of holding the CM and Deputy CM accountable, the blame was placed entirely on Mr. Nagendra, and the matter was quietly closed.' Meanwhile in the Legislative Assembly, the BJP members led by Leader of the Opposition R. Ashok raised the issue as soon as speculations about Mr. Rajanna either quitting or being sacked started doing the rounds. Mr. Ashok urged the government and Mr. Rajanna to clarify on the issue. He even argued that Mr. Rajanna should not be sitting in the place earmarked for Ministers if he is no longer a part of the ministry. While Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H.K. Patil said that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah would respond to them later, Mr. Rajanna said he was told by the Law Minister not to speak. 'Whether I have resigned or not will be told by the Chief Minister,' he said. But the Chief Minister stayed away from the session, while Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, who was in the session, chose not to comment on the floor of the House. Taking exception to Mr. Rajanna and the government remaining mum, Mr. Ashok sought to remind them that it was during the protest over the honey-trap allegations made by Mr. Rajanna that 18 of the BJP MLAs had been suspended. Meanwhile, Deputy Leader of the Opposition Arvind Bellad maintained that the sacking of Mr. Rajanna, a close aide of Mr. Siddaramaiah, was 'a big blow' delivered to the Chief Minister by his deputy.
Time of India
26 minutes ago
- Time of India
War of words erupts over river linking project
Surat: Ahead of a rally on Thursday announced by the Congress party in Dharampur, to protest the Par Tapi Narmada river linking project, a war of words has begun between political leaders. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Congress's Vansda MLA Anant Patel called for the rally and urged tribals to join in large numbers to protest the project, while BJP leaders claimed that the scrapping of the project has already been announced. Patel said the govt prepared a Detailed Project Report (DPR) and this is why the protest campaign has restarted. BJP leaders, including C R Paatil, countered by accusing Patel of misleading the public, asserting that the project has been scrapped, as was previously announced by the govt. Union water resources minister Paatil accused the Congress of spreading false information about the Par Tapi Narmada river linking project. The BJP leader urged people not to be swayed by misinformation. "The Congress has recently been raising the issue to gain political mileage among tribal people. The BJP govt is committed to safeguarding the interests of tribal communities and would never implement any plan that harms them," Paatil said. Reacting to Paatil's comments, MLA Anant Patel demanded a clarification from the govt in writing. "Over 1 lakh people are going to be affected by the project and we will continue our campaign until the govt announces it officially in writing. They should declare in a white paper in Parliament that this project is not going to take place," said Anant Patel. Valsad BJP MP Dhaval Patel weighed in, labelling the Congress MLA's allegations "misinformation". Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The BJP's assertion is that the Congress is attempting to instigate unrest among the local population by reviving a defunct project. "The scrapping of the project was announced by the govt in 2022 and no work is being done. Congress is losing elections in the region; hence, in search of support, they are misguiding tribals. This rally is being organized to save Congress's existence in this region," the Valsad MP said. The river linking project, which has been a contentious issue in the region, is seen by some as a potential boon for development, while others fear it could lead to environmental degradation and social disruption.
