AAP government's land pooling policy sparks fierce farmer backlash in Punjab

As the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) Punjab Government continues to propagate its land-pooling policy, the farmer unions and farmers across the state are protesting against the government and making it loud and clear that they will not give an inch of their land for the state government's policy.

With farmers taking out rallies all over the state, their voices picked up pace on Wednesday when thousands of farmers took out tractor marches to protest against the land-pooling policy of the government.

Be it Ludhiana, Mohali, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Patiala or anywhere in Punjab, farmers lined up in big numbers on their tractors to protest against the Punjab Government. The call was given by Sanyukt Kisan Morcha and was also joined by the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha.

Although the Punjab Government and its ministers have been repeatedly saying that no farmer under this policy will be forced to give his land but farmers are unhappy with the government policy and fear that they will lose their lands.

WHAT IS LAND POOLING POLICY

As part of the new Land pooling policy, the Punjab government is asking farmers to give their lands voluntarily and in return, they will receive a portion of the developed land, which has a much higher market value.

Through this policy, the Punjab Government aims to get a total of 65533 acres of land from various districts of Punjab. The aim is to develop the land for residential as well as industrial purposes. Notably, out of this total aimed land target, the government wants to get 45,861 acres of land in Ludhiana only both for residential and industrial needs.

WHAT WILL LANDOWNERS GET?

The amount of land given back to the owner depends on how much land is offered for pooling. For instance, if a landowner gives one acre of land, they will get back a 1000-square-yard residential plot and a 200-square-yard commercial plot. Similarly, the government has rolled out a slab if the land is pooled for industrial development purposes.

AAP GOVERNMENT FACES PROTESTS

Although the Punjab Government continues to back its land-pooling policy, the farmer unions and farmers are out protesting strongly against it. Be it the burning of effigies of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann or party supremo Arvind Kejriwal, the farmers are regularly holding protest rallies against the government and demanding that this policy must be withdrawn.

Although the government claims that many farmers have agreed to follow this policy and give up their lands, that number is very less compared to the protesting farmers.

WHAT PROTESTS MEAN FOR THE AAP GOVERNMENT

As the protests continue to swell and the anger of the farmer unions intensifies, this leaves the AAP government in a tough situation as Punjab is set for the elections in 2027 and the anger of the farmers could make things uneasy for the AAP regime. AAP leaders have faced protests by farmers when they go to villages in some places.

The Aam Aadmi Party, which came to power in Punjab in 2022 with a thumping majority, cannot afford the anger of the farmers as they are a major chunk of the vote bank. Also, with farmer unions vociferous enough, AAP will have to find a way out to this issue.

A few years ago, when the Modi government brought in three farm laws, the AAP backed the farmers' struggle strongly and now, when the same party is in power in Punjab, it is finding farmers on the opposite side against the land-pooling policy.

GOVERNMENT'S TAKE

On a question regarding the ongoing protests by the farmers, Punjab Cabinet Minister and the state AAP chief Aman Arora said, "We have not closed any doors on the farmers. If they have any sort of doubts regarding this policy, we are open for discussions and talks. We are taking any land forcibly and this is a voluntary thing."

Similarly, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said, "Everyone has a right to protest, but we have made the policy for the benefit of the farmers."

FARMERS WANT THE POLICY REVOKED

Criticising the policy, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said, "This is a government ploy to grab our lands and we will not give an inch of our lands. What is the need for this land-pooling policy when the farmers are protesting against it and they don't want it? The government should revoke it."

Farmer leader Amarjit Singh who took part in the tractor march, said, "Why did the government not talk to us before bringing about this policy? What is the intention of the government? We are very clear that we will not give an inch of land."

- Ends