Bajwa slams AAP's land pooling policy as 'loot' of farmers' land

Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa today launched a scathing attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government's land pooling policy, terming it a ‘loot’ of farmers' land.

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Addressing a 'Saadi Zameen, Saadi Ma' dharna outside the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) office, Bajwa claimed the government intends to acquire 65,000 acres across Punjab, with approximately 6,000 acres targeted in Mohali alone.

Bajwa highlighted that only 35 acres in Mohali have received consent so far, indicating widespread opposition to the policy.

Accompanied by former Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu, Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, Vijay Sharma Tinku and other leaders, Bajwa said, "A four-member committee of non-Punjabis and a chief secretary who is also a non-Punjabi will decide the fate of Punjab farmers. Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has kept himself away from it. He will not sign any paper. Nor has Arvind Kejriwal signed any papers in Delhi for the past 10 years. His officers are behind the bars now."

Citing the example of GMADA's Ecocity-2 Extension Scheme, where land acquired in 2013 has yet to see plot allotment to farmers, Bajwa questioned the government's ability to deliver on its promises.

The former Health Minister claimed that the notification has stalled the sale and purchase of nearly 65,000 acres of land, affecting farmers, youth and employees.

"The government has beaten jawank, kisan, naujawan, mulajim," Sidhu said.

He further claimed that Rs 10 lakhs worth of crockery has arrived for Arvind Kejriwal at the Panchayat Bhawan and they call themselves ‘aam aadmi’.

The Congress is organising a series of protests statewide to demand the rollback of the land pooling policy.