Key Points

Chugh said, “This is a resounding testament to the unity, courage, and indomitable spirit of Punjab’s farmers. The AAP government was compelled to bow before the massive public outrage of 3 crore Punjabis. This sends a clear message -- Punjab’s farmers are not anyone’s private estate.” He said the policy was “from the start designed to serve the builder lobby and fill Arvind Kejriwal’s election coffers. It was a premeditated conspiracy to snatch the land of small and marginal farmers at throwaway prices and leave them homeless.” “Mann and Kejriwal treated Punjab as their personal piggy bank for their royal lifestyles, but Punjabis have shown they will go to any extent to defend their land and dignity,” he said.

After widespread protest from farmers, farm labourers and political parties and a sharp rap from the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the Aam Aadmi Party government on Monday rolled back the land pooling policy with Finance Minister Harpal Cheema saying, “For us, the happiness and satisfaction of our farmers is more important than any policy.”

Responding to the government decision, BJP leader Chugh said the BJP stood shoulder to shoulder with the farmers from day one, opposing this anti-farmer, land-grabbing policy in every district and on every platform. “The BJP even submitted a memorandum to the Governor, fighting alongside the farmers until the policy was withdrawn. Whenever farmers are attacked, the BJP will stand with full strength to protect their rights.” Chugh slammed the government for unleashing police brutality on farmers who dared to speak against the policy. Chugh demanded that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann apologise to the entire Punjab and resign immediately.

Joining the issue, Ashwani Sharma, working state BJP President, expressed doubt over the government decision by saying, “I am certain that the Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab will acquire the land of Punjab’s farmers through some other means or processes, because they have only withdrawn the land pooling policy announced on May 14, not their intention to acquire farmers’ land.” Sharma said the government did not withdraw the land pooling policy in the interest of farmers, but out of fear of the High Court’s stay order. “The very points we were raising have been upheld by the High Court, which imposed a stay on the land pooling policy,” he said in a statement.

“The way a government officer’s order withdrew the land pooling policy, a policy that the Chief Minister and his ministers had announced after a cabinet meeting, clearly shows that in the coming days, the government will again acquire farmers’ land. If this is not true, then Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann should publicly declare that under no circumstances will the government re-acquire the thousands of acres of land that they were attempting to seize through land pooling,” he added.

However, Minister Cheema highlighted the pro-farmer approach of the government. He said Chief Minister Mann himself hails from a farming family. “Over the past three years, he has successfully worked to ensure water reaches every field. Earlier, electricity for agriculture was supplied for eight hours, both during the day and at night, but the government shifted the supply to daytime only, freeing farmers from the inconvenience of working at night,” Cheema clarified about his government being sensitive to the farmers and farm labourers.

- IANS