Panchayats reject land pooling policy

As the AAP’s land pooling scheme gathers steam, as many as 107 panchayats across the state are believed to be up in arms and have passed resolutions in their respective villages, saying they will not give up their land.

According to Harinder Singh Lakhowal of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), opposition to the government’s policy is growing, despite CM Bhagwant Mann and several AAP leaders insisting that land acquisition will be purely voluntary.

Several panches who spoke to The Tribune voiced their growing discontent, both on an off the record.

Baljinder Singh, who owns four acres of land in Balion village near Samrala, said he heaved a sigh of relief as residents have decided to oppose the policy.

After the government notified 250 acres in his village for acquisition, Baljinder said the very thought of losing his small landholding and moving to a new place did not let him sleep.

“Most villagers felt the same way. But now, helped by farmer unions, our village panchayat has passed a resolution rejecting the government move to acquire our land. This is the first legal hurdle we have cleared in what we assume will be a long fight with the state government,” he told The Tribune.

Balion sarpanch Maninder Singh said they had even put up boards in the village, warning government officials against entering their village. “Any politician who wants to speak to us in favour of the land pooling policy is not welcome. They want to take away our land and our livelihood,” he said.

In Bhattian village near Phillaur, where 700 acres of land is to be acquired, sarpanch Ranjit Singh Batth said the “atmosphere is charged”. The panchayat passed a resolution against the acquisition a few days ago. The objections have now been filed with the Sub Divisional Officer and with the Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA). They want to take away our land and livelihood and give us tiny residential and commercial plots… how ridiculous? he said.

The state government had notified 65,533 acres (including 21, 550 acres for industrial zones) it wants to acquire through the land pooling policy. Many farmers are drawing parallels between this policy and the three farm laws that were introduced in 2020 by the Centre, which were later withdrawn after a year-long struggle).

According to Harinder Singh Lakhowal, as many as 107 panchayats have already passed resolutions, declaring they will not give up their land. “The policy has mobilised farmers against the government, as they fear losing their livelihood and homes,” he said.

Balbir Singh Rajewal, president of the BKU (Rajewal) and SKM leader, said it was the government’s moral and constitutional responsibility to safeguard the interests of its people. “But this policy is doing just the opposite. We are now ready to start an agitation,” he said, adding that the SKM was also guiding panchayats on filing of resolutions against their land being taken away.

Rajewal alleged that in places where the land had not been demarcated, the owners of such land had not signed the resolutions. “The government is falsely saying that they support the policy,” he said.

How panchayat passes a resolution

The sarpanch has the register, and after he convenes a meeting of all voters in the village, the panchayat passes a resolution. A resolution is considered to have been passed if 20 per cent voters are present and they agree. A secretary from the office of the BDPO is present at the meeting. This resolution of the panchayat is then sent to the local body concerned.

‘Oppn leaders misleading farmers’

The policy was brought first by the SAD-BJP government and later the Congress government carried on with it. They are the ones who are misleading farmers for their own gains, as they still want to protect the land mafia that funds their politics. In the process, they are working against the interest of the farmers, who stand to benefit from this policy.

Aman Arora, Punjab AAP chief

Punjab