‘How can you erase rural existence?’: Farmers across Punjab launch mega tractor rally against AAP govt’s land pooling policy

The Punjab Government’s land pooling policy aims to build townships by acquiring land from farmers through pooling, rather than outright purchase. Farmers contributing land will receive a portion back as developed plots, with the rest sold to finance civic infrastructure. However, it has drawn sharp criticism from the farming community, who see it as a threat to their livelihood and identity.

Pointing at the mega turnout, Sarwan Singh Pandher, KMM coordinator, said, “This is only from four villages near Amritsar — Manawala, Navankot, Nijjarpur, and Rajewal. Imagine the scale when all affected villages rise.”

“The government must repeal this policy or prepare to face intensified protests. Eleven more villages in the border area of Amritsar are also participating in this march.”

‘Punjab can’t afford horizontal growth’

The anger chiefly stems from fears that agricultural land will be lost permanently under the new urban-centric policy. In areas like Jodhan, farmers said that over 50 per cent of the village land falls under the land pooling scheme. “Punjab cannot afford horizontal growth at the cost of its villages. How can you erase rural existence in the name of rapid urbanisation?” asked Jagdev Singh, a farmer in his seventies, from Jodhan.

The ruling Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Jodhan block president Tapinder Singh Jodhan quit the party on Monday, marking his strong opposition to “the newly introduced land pooling policy.”

Though it was drizzling on Wednesday, farmers aged between 20 and 50 years drove tractors, while elderly farmers sat beside, indicating that the protesters spanned across generations. In Ludhiana, the farmers also highlighted the poor condition of link roads as they drove on the bumpy stretches riddled with potholes in many areas.

“This struggle is for survival. No one can live on a small plot forever. Even a layman knows that. The government is pushing us to the edge,” said Harnek Singh Gujjarwal, a young farmer and state press secretary of Jamhoori Kisan Sabha. As per the government’s policy, if a farmer pools an acre of land, he/she will be compensated with 1,000 square yards of developed residential area and 200 square yards of developed commercial area.

The march will culminate in villages late in the afternoon, but the message was loud and clear. “What use is a tractor if there is no land left to till?” asked Joginder Singh Ugrahan, president of Punjab’s largest farmer union BKU Ugrahan, who led the protests in Ludhiana’s Jodhan and Koom Kalan. Over 24,000 acres across 44 villages is set to be covered under the landpooling scheme in the district.

‘Only businessmen, realtors supporting policy’

Manjit Singh Dhaner, president of BKU Dakaunda, said, “The tractor is not just a farming tool, but is our symbol of resistance. We sow seeds with it and now we are using it to protect our rights.”He led the march in Barnala’s Handiyaya and Mullanpur in Ludhiana.

“Real farmers don’t support this policy. Only businessmen and realtors with large landholdings are pushing it. The Punjab Government must read the writing on the wall,” warned Raghbir Singh Benipal, general secretary of Jamhoori Kisan Sabha, from Koom Kalan.

In Bhattian Dhaha village, sarpanch Ranjit Singh Bath, who belongs to the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the state, led the tractor march. “I am with my village in this struggle against the land pooling policy. What will I do with this party which cannot protect my villagers? We are a big joint family with 120 acres in six villages and the entire land comes under this policy,” he said.

‘Should we work in a factory?’

“What should we do? Should we pick our tiffin and start working in a factory? We have put up boards at the entrance of our village banning the entry of AAP leaders. Let me see who dares to enter the village,” Bath added.

He said that the sarpanches of most villages have given feedback to the party seeking a rollback of the policy and warning of resistance on failing to do so. “It seems they have not understood our polite feedback,” Bath said.

While ramping up pressure against the government to revise or roll back the policy, farmers unions say that the protest is not just about land, but about their dignity, existence, and the future of Punjab’s agrarian identity.

As part of the protests, mahapanchyats will be held on August 7, August 20 and August 24 by SKM (non-political), KMM and SKM’s Punjab unit, respectively. Besides, Lok Adhikar Lehar will organise a seminar on August 8 in Ludhiana with an open invitation to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to interact with farmers. The KMM is also planning a motorcycle march across various districts on August 11.