AAP backed out due to HC pressure, not sympathy for farmers: Ashu

Senior Congress leader and former minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu said today that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in the state withdrew the controversial land pooling policy only due to the pressure from the Punjab and Haryana High Court and not out of any sympathy for farmers.

“AAP will meet the same fate as that of the BJP after the three farm laws,” he said.

Reacting to the withdrawal of the policy, Ashu said AAP leaders and ministers were now trying to save face by claiming that they listened to the farmers’ demand. “The fact is that the AAP government was not left with any option after the High Court stayed the policy,” he noted while asking, if the AAP was so sincere and supportive of farmers, why did it take so much time and the court orders to withdraw the policy.

He also alleged that the AAP government misused the police and Municipal Corporations as the police and civic body officials had started threatening and intimidating landowners to give away their land under the land pooling policy.

The senior Congress leader said withdrawing the policy does not mean the farmers will forgive AAP.

“It’s intention was quite clear to snatch away 50,000 acres of land worth crores of rupees from Punjabi farmers/landowners without their consent or any compensation,” he observed, adding that it was the High Court which saved the growers.