Chandigarh, July 21 (IANS) Congress on Monday staged a protest in front of the Greater Mohali Development Area (GMADA) office in Mohali, terming it as “not land pooling, but land looting policy.”

Led by state unit President Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, thousands of party workers gathered outside the office, raising slogans against the land pooling policy and seeking its immediate withdrawal.

Addressing the protestors, Warring said it was a subtle ploy of the Aam Aadmi Party government to loot and rob the farmers of their precious land.

“This is not land pooling, but land looting policy,” he remarked, while asking who will hand over one acre of precious land for a thousand yards in return?

Warring asked Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann that he should have learnt from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s experience, who eventually had to “surrender” and withdraw the three farm laws under pressure from the farmers.

“You should know, when it comes to his land, a farmer can do anything to protect it,” he cautioned the government, while expressing solidarity and support of the Congress with the farmers in their fight against the policy.

The party also submitted a memorandum, addressed to the Chief Minister, to the GMADA administrator, seeking immediate reversal of the policy.

It said the policy will be environmentally and economically devastating and disastrous for Punjab.

Later, talking to reporters, Warring defended his party’s opposition to the land pooling policy, reiterating that it was only a “land looting” scheme conceived by AAP leaders.

“What purpose does it serve?” he asked, while pointing out that there is no demand from anywhere.

Replying to a question on Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar suggesting an Akali-BJP alliance, the Congress president said they (the Akalis and the BJP) were always together and had a subtle understanding.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mann urged the people not to be swayed away with the misleading propaganda of the Opposition.

Addressing the gathering after disbursing developing grants of Rs 31.30 crore among 70 villages in the Dhuri assembly segment, the Chief Minister slammed the Opposition for hoodwinking facts to misinform the people about this scheme just for vested political interests.

He categorically said there will be no forcible acquisition of land under the land pooling scheme, and it will benefit the farmers of the state.

Mann said people are aware of the dubious character of these leaders who have backstabbed the Punjabis on several issues.

–IANS

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