Punjab farmers to protest against land acquisition Bill

In Punjab, 70 to 80% of the farmers fall in the category of small and medium farmers, with five acres or less land. Agriculture is the only livelihood for these farmers

Punjab farmers are gearing up to organise a Kisan Panchayat in New Delhi on March 18, to protest against the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill, 2015.

According to Ajmer Singh Lakhowal, president of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Punjab) and senior member of its All India Coordination Committee, "The amendments in the new Bill, which is likely to be passed in the current session of the Parliament, are against the interests of farmers."

In Punjab, 70 to 80 per cent of the farmers fall in the category of small and medium farmers, with five acres or less land. Agriculture is the only livelihood for these farmers. The exemption of clauses like consent of 80 per cent landowners and a social impact assessment in the new Act would snatch away their livelihood, it is claimed.

The ordinance has also tweaked the definition of compensation, indicating the government intends to favour industry at the cost of agriculture. The Aam Aadmi Party has launched a protest against the land acquisition ordinance in Haryana. The protest started on Monday, where party functionary Yogendra Yadav apprised Members of Parliament from the state about the repercussions of the new proposed legislation.

Jagtar Singh Brar, a progressive farmer from Bathinda, Punjab, told farmers at the grassroots do not know the details of the land acquisition ordinance. Opportunity cost of land is high for farmers. Laws provide a compensation equivalent to four times of the market value of the land in rural areas but the ordinance has changed it to the collector's rate, he said.

Such decision of the government would have a serious impact on the rural population in the country.