Ludhiana/Hoshiarpur (Punjab), Jul 30 (PTI) Farmers on a call given by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha on Wednesday took out a tractor march at many places in Punjab against the AAP government’s land pooling policy.
Protesting farmers demanded the withdrawal of the policy, claiming it was “anti-farmers”.
The state government is trying to “grab” the farmers’ fertile land through this policy. “This policy is totally anti-farmers,” said SKM leader Balbir Singh Rajewal.
Farmers took out the tractor march in Samrala, Jodhan, Koom Kalan, Jagraon and Dakha in Ludhiana district.
The Kisan Mazdoor Morcha extended its support to the SKM’s call and took out tractor marches at several places, including Amritsar, Jalandhar, Mansa, Bathinda and Sangrur.
KMM leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said, “The state government should withdraw the land pooling policy immediately before the mounting anger of farmers against the policy forces it to do so.” Through the tractor march, we are giving a clear message that we will not give our land, said one of the protesters.
The KMM leaders said the tractor marches witnessed participation from farmers, labourers, youth and women, marking a historic show of unity and resistance against land acquisition in the name of development.
From elders to youth, all are actively engaged in mobilising efforts to safeguard their villages, land and future, they further said.
They alleged that having “failed” on all the fronts, the AAP government was desperate to “grab” the land of farmers. They asserted that they would not let the Bhagwant Mann dispensation succeed.
In Hoshiarpur, farmers and residents of Shergarh and Purhiran held a protest march against the policy.
The AAP government has been facing flak from the opposition parties and various farmer bodies, which dubbed its land pooling policy a ‘looting’ scheme to rob the farmers of their land.
The ruling AAP has hit out at the opposition parties for spreading misleading propaganda against the state government’s policy, with party leaders describing it as ‘farmers-friendly’.
The Punjab Cabinet last month gave its nod to the land pooling policy and asserted that not a single yard will be forcibly acquired from land owners.
Under the policy, an owner will be given a 1,000 square yard of residential plot and a 200 square yard of commercial plot in fully developed land in lieu of one acre of land, the state government had said.
After clearing the policy last month, the government had said it was designed to foster transparent and planned urban development across the state. PTI COR CHS APL RHL
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