Mohali, April 6
Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa today launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann while addressing protesting farmers in Mohali district, who have been agitating against forcible land acquisition. Bajwa was joined by former minister Balbir Singh Sidhu as they extended unequivocal support to farmers protesting against the AAP government outside the PUDA Bhawan.
Bajwa accused the AAP-led Punjab government and GMADA of running a “land loot regime” by forcibly acquiring fertile agricultural land in Mohali villages. He said the government has completely abandoned the principles of justice, transparency, and consent, and is instead resorting to coercion and high-handedness. “This is a direct betrayal of the farmers who brought Bhagwant Mann to power. Intoxicated by power, the Chief Minister has turned a blind eye to farmers protesting on the streets,” Bajwa said.
Demanding immediate corrective action, Bajwa reiterated that the provisions of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, enacted under the Manmohan Singh Government, must be strictly implemented. He stressed that not even a single acre should be acquired without the consent of farmers and assured fair compensation and proper rehabilitation.
Taking aim at the government’s repeated policy failures, Bajwa highlighted that key decisions have faced legal roadblocks. The proposed land pooling of 65,000 acres and the farmhouse policy were stayed by the NGT, exposing serious environmental and procedural lapses. The Punjab Unified Building Rules increasing FSI were also halted, while the Punjab and Haryana High Court stayed the sale of 50 acres of PSPCL land—clearly reflecting the arbitrary and anti-people functioning of the Mann government.
Reaffirming support, Bajwa said the Congress party stands like a rock with the farming community and will not allow this “daylight robbery” of farmers’ land. He warned the government to immediately halt forcible acquisition and initiate meaningful dialogue, failing which the agitation will intensify with full backing of the Congress party.
