Punjab BJP president Kewal Singh Dhillon on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government over its proposed Land Pooling Policy, alleging that the initiative was anti-farmer and aimed at taking control of agricultural land under the guise of development.
In a statement, Dhillon claimed that the Punjab government was pursuing policies dictated from Delhi and alleged that the objective of the land pooling initiative was not development but acquisition of farmers’ land.
Questioning the policy, the BJP leader said agricultural land was the primary source of livelihood for farmers and argued that offering commercial or residential plots in return could not replace a sustainable source of income. He maintained that such an arrangement would adversely affect farming families dependent on agriculture.
Dhillon said the policy had also faced strong opposition from farmers when it was proposed earlier and alleged that it was a planned attempt to displace cultivators and weaken their ownership over agricultural land. He accused AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal and the party of pursuing policies detrimental to Punjab’s farming community.
The BJP leader further alleged that the ruling party was once again attempting to mislead farmers with promises that would ultimately harm their interests. He claimed that people in Punjab would not be misled by what he described as false assurances.
Asserting that the BJP would continue to stand with the farming community, Dhillon said the party would oppose the implementation of the Land Pooling Policy and demanded that the Punjab government immediately withdraw the proposal. He also claimed that the government would eventually be forced to reverse its decision in the face of farmers’ opposition.