Should the AAP Government Withdraw the Ludhiana Land Acquisition Notification?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Sukhbir Badal warns AAP to withdraw land acquisition.
- Future SAD government plans to reserve jobs for Punjabis.
- Protests will expand to other cities to support affected farmers.
- Claims of bribery involving land use certificates are alarming.
- Farmers' rights and land ownership remain critical issues in Punjab.
Ludhiana, May 28 (NationPress) Sukhbir Badal, the President of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), has urged the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab to retract its notification regarding the acquisition of 24,000 acres adjacent to Ludhiana. He warned that failure to do so would result in a 'morcha' to defend the rights of the affected farmers.
Badal emphasized that, should his party reclaim power in 2027, all government job opportunities would be exclusively available for Punjabis. He criticized the current situation, noting that 50 percent of government positions are currently filled by individuals from outside the state.
Additionally, he declared that the future SAD administration would prevent non-residents from acquiring land in Punjab, asserting, “Punjab will be for Punjabis only.”
During a sit-in protest outside the GLADA office, Badal firmly stated that no land acquisition would be permitted, declaring, “We will not allow the AAP conspiracy to rob our farmers of their lands simply to fill the party’s coffers.”
He also indicated that SAD's protests would extend to other cities experiencing unjust land dispossession. Badal reiterated that the party has consistently defended Punjabi interests against outsiders, criticizing the AAP central leadership, which includes Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, and Satyendra Jain, for attempting to implement this alleged scam.
Badal pointed out that change of land use (CLU) certificates were being sold for Rs 1 crore per acre to protect select areas from the 24,000-acre acquisition plan. He remarked, “This indicates that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has completely submitted to the AAP central leadership, even willing to seize valuable farmland from farmers to maintain his position.”