Land pooling policy: AAP leaders barred from entering villages

Residents of Purhiran and Shergarh village in Hoshiarpur have opposed the land pooling policy of the government and have banned leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party from entering the villages. They have also put up 'no entry' holdings in the villages.

Speaking to reporters, farmer leader Manjit Singh Rai said if any AAP minister, MLA or any leader enters these villages, a protest against him will be held and the leader himself will be responsible for the damage caused to him.

He said the government has launched the land pooling policy with the intention to deprive farmers of their lands and harming them economically, and it will not be allowed to implement the policy.

Rai said under land pooling, the government is ready to build residential colonies and industrial parks in the name of industrialisation, under which the government wants to grab their fertile land. The government, which is acting on the instructions of the leaders sitting in Delhi, is forcibly implementing this policy to displace farmers, which will not be tolerated at any cost.

He said the government cannot impose this policy on farmers in the name of development. Farmers of Purhiran, Shergarh and Dholanwal villages will not allow the government to acquire their lands at any cost.

He said if anyone campaigns for the Aam Aadmi Party or holds any meeting in Purhiran, Shergarh and Dholanwal villages, they will face the resistance. If the government does not scrap the land pooling policy, the farm organisations will start a protest.

Sarpanch of Shergarh village Mohan Lal said villagers are opposing the land pooling policy and it will not be allowed to be implemented at any cost. He said residents of all villages of the area will take out a tractor march on July 30.