Ludhiana: Scrap move to develop urban estates on 24,311 acres, says Sukhbir

SAD president flays the AAP government for ‘passing a proposal to acquire 24,311 acres of land in the vicinity of the city to develop urban estates

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Saturday demand immediate review and scrapping of the decision to acquire 24,311 acres of land across 32 villages in Ludhiana for developing new urban estates, stating the move was anti-farmer and “aimed solely at filling the coffers of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)”.

Sukhbir alleged that the AAP government was desperate to collect money to fund its publicity schemes. (HT Photo)

In a statement here, the SAD president mentioned, “It is shocking that the AAP government has passed a proposal to acquire 24,311 acres of land in the vicinity of the city to develop urban estates, a scheme which has failed earlier in many other parts of the state. It is even more condemnable that this decision has been taken without consulting or taking the consent of farmers whose land will be taken. Thousands of farmers will be rendered landless and this will affect their way of life irreversibly.”

Sukhbir alleged that the AAP government was desperate to collect money to fund its publicity schemes. “Earlier also the government had taken a decision to acquire land near Mohali with the same purpose,” he stated.

He said the SAD would support the affected farmers as well as farm organisations to oppose this move. “The SAD will force the AAP government to reverse this decision. The AAP has taken on the role of an unscrupulous property developer,” he added.