Jolt to AAP as all Opposition parties support SKM

In a major political challenge to Punjab’s ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), all Opposition parties in the state have extended their support to the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM)-led protest against the land pooling policy.

It is after a gap of five years that the BJP and the SKM have decided to bury their differences that had emerged after the three farm laws were introduced in 2020 which then led to a year-long farmers’ struggle. Now, the BJP will be part of this SKM-led protest that will begin with a tractor rally on July 30 in all villages across the state where collectively about 65,500 acres of land is to be acquired under “voluntary” land pooling.

BJP leaders Subhash Sharma and Kewal Singh Dhillon pledged their party’s full support to the SKM. They even assured to seek time from their party-led Central government ministers and act as a bridge between the country’s ruling party and the SKM leaders. They said their party was the first to oppose the land pooling policy, as they believed it would ruin the state ecology and agrarian economy.

The decision to support the SKM was taken at an all-party meeting, convened by the farmer union forum today. Barring the AAP, once the closest political ally of the farmers’ groups, representatives of 10 political parties, participated in the meeting. Cutting across political lines, representatives of these parties said they opposed the land pooling policy as it would uproot farmers from their fertile lands.

The gist of what leaders of all parties said at the meeting was, “Bahar ton aaye log, Punjab layi galat policiyan bana rahe han. They only want to monetise the lands, even though there is no demand for urbanisation. If there is a change in guard in the state in 2027, where will farmers go to get the promised residential and commercial sites since their lands are being taken now? Our lands would become barren, but the government supporting the real estate companies is unfazed.” All parties shared the dates on which they will be holding protests, and expressed fear that the lands being acquired could be mortgaged with an international funding agency to raise money.

The chairs set aside for the AAP representatives were left vacant throughout the three-and-a-half-hour meeting. After the meeting, the SKM and all Opposition parties categorically demanded that the notification regarding the land pooling policy be withdrawn; agriculture and allied activities be kept out of the free trade agreement; passing of a resolution in Punjab Vidhan Sabha suspending all water agreements that are against the state interests, besides the implementation of Agriculture Policy.

The meeting was chaired by a presidium of farmer leaders — Balbir Singh Rajewal, Buta Singh Burjgill, Raminder Singh Patiala, Harinder Singh Lakhowal and Dr Darshan Pal, amongst others. Leaders of the BJP, SAD, five-member committee of rebel Akalis, BSP, CPI, CPM, CPI (ML), CPI (ML) ND and RMPI were present at the meeting. Initially, for about two hours since the start of the meeting, representatives of the Congress did not join and were declared absent, till former Agriculture Minister Randeep Singh Nabha and Happy Khera joined in. Both leaders said while the Congress had already started protests against land pooling, it would continue with its protests in the coming days and also support the SKM.

Member of the SAD core committee Sukhdeep Singh Sukar too opposed the policy and said their party had fought for the rights of Punjab over its river waters, capital and Punjabi-speaking areas, and assured support to the SKM. Akali Dal rebel leaders Iqbal Singh Jhunda and Gurpartap Singh Wadala said there was no demand for land pooling for urbanisation and the scheme was a way to usurp the rights of farmers over their lands and livelihoods. Both Jhunda and Sukar expressed concern that dairy farming was no longer profitable, especially as cooperative sector was continuously marginalised by the present government and expressed concern over adulterated milk and milk products flooding the market. All leaders agreed with the SKM that groundwater was depleting fast and steps needed to be taken to save Punjab from desertification.

 ‘To uproot farmers from their lands’

Cutting across political lines, representatives of parties said they opposed the land pooling policy as it would uproot farmers from their fertile lands. Barring the AAP, once the closest political ally of farmers’ groups, representatives of 10 political parties, participated in the meeting

Punjab