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As govt showcases consent, farmers fact check: AAP leader’s husband, businessman, realtor

On Tuesday, H S Bawa, a Ludhiana resident, submitted a consent letter to the Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA) for his land.

Earlier, the state government, in a press release Monday, announced that one Rajesh Aggarwal has consented to part with 100 acres of land on Pakhowal Road in LudhianaEarlier, the state government, in a press release Monday, announced that one Rajesh Aggarwal has consented to part with 100 acres of land on Pakhowal Road in Ludhiana

As it works overtime to promote its land pooling policy, showcasing the “farmers” who have already given consent to acquire their land; the Punjab government is facing a tough opposition from farm unions who are fact checking its claims and punching holes in them. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), in fact, alleged that those giving consent for land pooling scheme were not farmers, but prominent businessmen, realtors and politicians with vested real estate interests.

Sample this: On Tuesday, H S Bawa, a Ludhiana resident, submitted a consent letter to the Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA) for his land. Himanshu Jain, Deputy Commissioner Ludhiana and Chief Administrator of GLADA shared a photo of Bawa handing him over the consent letter.

The farm unions, however, were quick to point out that Bawa is the husband of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Ruchi Bawa, who also serves as the vice-chairperson of the Punjab State Commission for Protection of Child Rights.

Earlier, the state government, in a press release Monday, announced that one Rajesh Aggarwal has consented to part with 100 acres of land on Pakhowal Road in Ludhiana, for urban development under the policy. His picture along with DC Jain and Industry Minister Sanjeev Arora was also released.

While Arora hailed the move as a sign of “growing trust” in the policy and urged more landowners to come forward, the SKM quickly pointed out that Rajesh Aggarwal was not a farmer but “a known industrialist, realtor and chairman and managing director of TRB Group”

The company’s website, mentions that “we are today present in more than 13 countries…(and) With over 40 brands operating worldwide, TRB Group dominates in nine different industries”.

“If such big business houses are giving their land, what more proof do we need that this policy is being crafted in favour of realtors while targeting the small and medium farmers and forcing them to part with their land,” said Raminder Singh Patiala, national coordination committee member, SKM.

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Manu Gupta of Sunview Group too has given consent for 150 acres. The Sunview group is a prominent realtor firm nad had developed the Sun View Enclave on over 40 acres in Ludhiana’s South city. Incidentally, the Income Tax department in 2021 had conducted searches at the offices and residential premises of Manu Gupta and Jagjeet Singh Grewal, who jointly developed the Sun View Enclave. The ssame day, the I-T sleuths had also conducted searches at the premises of several other real estate developers, including then Shiromani Akali Dal MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali.

Another realtor, Pardeep Gupta has given consent for 30 acres.

DC Jain claimed that on Tuesday, landowners gave consent for another 20 acres and emphasised the state government’s commitment to promoting urban growth through the policy.

On Bawa’s participation, he said, “It reflects the growing trust in this innovative policy, which encourages landowners to partner with the government in urban development projects”.

Bawa, on his part, expressed gratitude to the Punjab government for the opportunity to contribute to what he termed a “transformative” initiative.

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SKM’s Patiala, however, said, “We challenge the government to name even one small or marginal farmer who has willingly parted with his land under this scheme”.

Under the policy, landowners contributing 100 acres are entitled to receive 60 acres of fully developed land in return, of which 70% can be sold.

The growing participation of corporate landowners is being seen by those protesting against the policy as a deepening of the urbanization agenda at the cost of fertile agricultural land. Farmer unions have vowed to intensify their struggle in the coming days, calling the land pooling policy a “systematic land grab” that threatens the livelihood and identity of Punjab’s rural economy.

“We will not let even an inch of land to be taken in this scheme,” said Sarwan Singh Pandher, coordinator of Kisan Mazdoor Morcha while talking to The Indian Express.

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