Land pooling policy withdrawal: Farmers hold victory rally in Samrala

Farmers were jubilant as the Punjab Government announced the withdrawal of its controversial land pooling policy — just four days after the Punjab and Haryana High Court stayed its implementation for four weeks.

Intermittent showers swept across Samrala throughout the day, but the farmers remained undeterred, gathering in large numbers to celebrate the policy’s rollback. The jitt (victory) rally, held at the grain market, was organised under the banner of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha and saw participation from 32 farmer unions.

The policy, which had identified 65,000 acres for pooling, faced fierce opposition from farmers, landowners, political parties, religious organisations and village communities across the state. Farmer leaders described it as a “perverse and twisted” policy, allegedly devised by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.

Among those who addressed the crowd of over one lakh were Harinder Singh Lakhowal, Joginder Singh Ugrahan, Manjit Singh Kadian, Saudagar Singh Ghudani, Rajinder Singh Kot Panaich, Raminder Singh Patiala, Buta Singh Burjgill, Ruldu Singh Mansa, Manjit Singh Dhaner, Parminder Singh Palmajra, Jungveer Singh Chauhan and Dr Darshan Pal.

“At last, the AAP government has realised that it is futile to fight a community that may bend but never break,” the speakers declared.

Farmer activists reiterated their demand for the immediate withdrawal of the National Policy Framework for Agricultural Marketing (NPFAM). They also called for equitable access to river water for every field to boost crop productivity and clean drinking water for every household to safeguard rural health.

Criticising the National Cooperation Policy (NCP) 2025, union leaders argued that it undermines the federal structure of the Constitution by centralising power and stripping states of their rights.

International trade concerns were also raised, with farmer groups protesting against tariffs imposed by the United States. Leaders warned that any future agreements between India and the US that compromise farmers’ rights would be met with strong resistance.

The rally also saw opposition to the installation of smart electricity meters, which, they claimed, would make electricity unaffordable for the poor, labourers, single women and the elderly. Another major demand was the release of pending sugarcane payments amounting to ₹19 crore.

“If the government fails to clear the dues, we will gather in Mohali on September 2 to protest,” unionists warned.

Farmers further demanded compensation from both the Union and state governments for losses caused by recent heavy rainfall and devastating floods in several districts.

Speakers also called for a one-time settlement (OTS) policy for agricultural loans to address debt traps resulting from natural calamities, crop failures, and unremunerative prices.