Mohali: In a strong show of dissent, the state unit of Congress party, led by Punjab PCC president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, on Monday staged a massive protest outside the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) office in Mohali against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) govt’s land pooling policy. The protest witnessed the participation of hundreds of farmers, party workers, and senior Congress leaders, all demanding the immediate rollback of the policy.Chanting slogans against the AAP govt, the protestors accused the govt of plotting to dispossess Punjab’s farmers of their fertile and valuable agricultural land. Addressing the crowd, Warring said, “This is not land pooling — it’s land looting. Who will give away one acre of prime agricultural land in exchange for a mere 1,000 square yards?”Drawing parallels with the farmers’ historic agitation against the now-repealed central farm laws, Warring warned chief minister Bhagwant Mann to heed the sentiments of Punjab’s farmers. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi was forced to withdraw the farm laws under pressure from the farmers. You must understand that when it comes to land, a farmer will go to any extent to protect it,” he cautioned.The Congress delegation also submitted a memorandum addressed to the CM, via the GMADA administrator, seeking an immediate withdrawal of the policy. The memorandum described the policy as environmentally damaging and economically disastrous for the state.Later, speaking to the media, Warring doubled down on his criticism, saying, “There is no demand for this policy from farmers or the public. It serves no purpose other than to benefit select developers. We will not allow even an inch of farmers’ land to be grabbed under this policy.”Leader of opposition Partap Singh Bajwa also addressed the gathering, calling the policy “a cleverly disguised scheme of exploitation.” He said, “This is not development, it is displacement. Farmers regard their land as their mother. This policy threatens their livelihood, and villages face an imminent threat of being wiped out.”Congress leaders declared that they will intensify their opposition if the policy is not scrapped, asserting that no development should come at the cost of Punjab’s agrarian identity and farmer welfare. MSID:: 122816083 413 |
