Punjab: Panchayats reject land pooling policy

Punjab: As the AAP’s land acquisition plan gathers momentum, 107 panchayats across the state have come out in protest and passed resolutions in their villages saying they will not give up their land. According to Harinder Singh Lakhowal of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), opposition to the government’s policy is growing despite Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and several AAP leaders’ insistence that land acquisition will be completely voluntary. Many panches have expressed their growing displeasure, both publicly and without any official intimation. Baljinder Singh, who owns four acres of land in Balian village near Samrala, said he heaved a sigh of relief as residents have decided to oppose the policy. After the government notified 250 acres of land in his village for acquisition, Baljinder said he was losing sleep at the thought of losing his small piece of land and moving to a new place. “Most of the villagers were of the same opinion. But now, with the help of farmer unions, our gram panchayat has passed a resolution rejecting the government move to acquire our land. This is the first legal hurdle we have crossed, and we think it will be a long battle with the state government,” he told The Tribune. Balian sarpanch Maninder Singh said they have also put up boards in the village warning government officials not to enter their village. “Any politician who wants to talk to us in favour of the land pooling policy is not welcome. They want to take away our land and our livelihood,” he said. At Bhattian village near Phillaur, where 700 acres of land is to be acquired, sarpanch Ranjit Singh Bath said the “atmosphere is very tense”. The panchayat had passed a resolution against the acquisition a few days ago. Now, objections have been filed before the sub-divisional officer and the Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA). They want to snatch our land and livelihood and give us small residential and commercial plots… how ridiculous? he said.
The state government had notified 65,533 acres (including 21,550 acres for industrial areas) of land that it wants to acquire through the land pooling policy. Many farmers are drawing similarities between this policy and the three farm laws brought by the Centre in 2020, which were later withdrawn after a year-long struggle. According to Harinder Singh Lakhowal, 107 panchayats have already passed resolutions declaring they will not give away their land. “This policy has mobilised farmers against the government as they fear losing their livelihood and homes,” he said. BKU (Rajewal) president and SKM leader Balbir Singh Rajewal said it was the government’s moral and constitutional responsibility to protect the interests of its people. “But this policy is doing just the opposite. Now we are ready to launch a movement,” he said. He further said that SKM is also guiding panchayats to file resolutions against the taking away of their land. Rajewal alleged that in places where land has not been demarcated, landowners have not signed the resolutions. “The government is lying that it supports this policy,” he said.