Farmers protest land pooling policy with tractor march in Nawanshahr

In a show of dissent against the government's land pooling policy, farmers under the banner of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) carried out a tractor march today.

The demonstration culminated in the submission of a memorandum to the Assistant Deputy Commissioner (ADC), demanding immediate withdrawal of the policy.

The protest was triggered by the government's move to acquire 384 acres of land at Mahalon village under the land pooling scheme. Village residents and farm leaders warned that if the policy is not scrapped, they would intensify their agitation and take the fight to the streets across the state.

Leading the tractor march were prominent farm leaders were Surinder Singh Bains, Kuljinder Singh Mahalon and others.

Addressing a gathering, the farm leaders launched a scathing attack on the state government. "The government is trying to hand over fertile agricultural land to corporate houses at throwaway prices. It (government) is acting as the B-team of the BJP," alleged one of the speakers.

“Operating under the directions of Delhi and the Centre, they are pushing Punjab toward devastation,” said another.

The leaders further warned that people of Punjab would not allow the dreams of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal to be fulfilled. “We will ensure the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is not even allowed to enter the villages in the future,” they declared.