Punjab: Opposition leaders, farmers hail land pooling policy's withdrawal

Hindustan Times

2 days ago

With the state government on Monday withdrawing its much-hyped land pooling policy, Opposition leaders as well as farmers welcomed the decision, terming it a victory for the people. Farmers during a rally against the land pooling policy at the Golden Gate in Amritsar on Monday. (Sameer Sehgal/HT)
Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring said farmers stood vindicated in their opposition to the land pooling policy which would not only have 'turned them into paupers, but would have damaged Punjab socially, economically and environmentally'. 'It is a victory for the farmers,' he said, claiming that the state government's aim was to 'rob' farmers of the land worth lakhs of crores of rupees 'without any compensation and without their consent'.
Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar said the BJP had been strongly opposing the AAP government's land pooling policy which aimed to 'seize' farmers' land. 'The party actively raised public awareness about it. Ultimately, the government was forced to withdraw the policy. This is a victory for the unity of Punjab's people. Congratulations to Punjab's farmers,' he said.
Ashwani Sharma, working president of BJP's Punjab unit, said the party had been fighting against the land pooling policy from day one. 'The Punjab BJP had already announced a 'Zameen bachao, kisan bachao yatra' which was to begin from Patiala on 17 August and conclude in Pathankot on 5 September,' he said.
Meanwhile, Sukhbir Singh Badal, president of Shiromani Akali Dal, said, 'The scrapping of the policy is a victory for Punjabis.'
Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) president Joginder Singh Ugrahan said it was a victory for farmers and all the people who are associated with agriculture. Ugrahan said the policy would have negatively impacted a large part of the state's population. 'Along with farmers, a large population in Punjab is associated with agriculture. Labourers, merchants and shopkeepers, almost 46% of the population of Punjab, are dependent on agriculture. Today, the youth may be educated, but they are not getting jobs. So, agriculture is the sole source of income for us,' he said.
Ugrahan stated that the scheme had nothing to do with benefiting farmers and that the decision to implement it was taken in a haste. 'If they were to establish the colonies, they should have acquired the land which is non-fertile. The decision of withdrawal is good and the victory is the result of the unity of the farmers,' he said.
Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta-Ughrahan) general secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan said the 'recall of the policy clearly shows that people of Punjab are aware of their rights and the government has to bow before their might.'
Earlier in the day, farmers in Jalandhar, under the banner of Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) (non-political), took out a bike rally in parts of Doaba region against the land pooling scheme. Amritsar too saw a similar rally by farmers.
Under the policy, the state government intended to acquire 65,533 acres in 21 cities and towns to set up residential areas.