Authorities prepare for protest over acquisition by 17 farmers’ unions today
The district headquarters and areas in its vicinity have been turned into police cantonments in preparation for the indefinite dharna by 17 farmers’ unions tomorrow against the “forcible” acqauisition of land in Gobindpura village for setting up a thermal power plant in the private sector.
The farmers will stage dharnas outside the offices of DCs at Mansa, Jalandhar and Amritsar. All entry routes to Mansa have been virtually sealed to prevent the march of farmers to Gobindpura. Inspector-General of Police NS Dhillon and other senior officers tried to persuade the farmers to put off their agitation but in vain.
Police contingents have been rushed here from other districts of the state to maintain law and order. Owners of the disputed 171 acres of land warned that they would defy the prohibitory orders and enter their fields.
The Congress is trying to keep the pot boiling and PPCC chief Captain Amarinder Singh has announced that the Congress would launch a morcha from September 2 against the acquisition. The Congress has announced that the acquisition would be scrapped and the property returned to the owners if the Congress comes to power after the assembly elections.
Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal has denied that the land was acquired forcibly for the thermal plant. “Most farmers had volunteered to offer their land as against the market value of about Rs 5 lakh per acre, they were paid around Rs 24 lakh per acre”, he said.
Sukhbir accused the Congress of playing politics and creating hurdles in the path of development of Punjab by harping on the Gobindpura issue.
Sukhdev Singh, general secretary of the BKU (Ekta Ugrahan), said the acquisition of fertile land was a matter of life and death for the farmers. He accused Chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and Sukhbir Badal of trying to mislead the people on the issue.
Gurdeep Singh Mann adds from Bathinda: Leaders of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), Ugraha, have decided to support the family members of those whose land was "forcibly" acquired by the government to build the Urban Estate, Phases IV and V. Various farmer unions, including the Ugraha group, are already protesting against the land acquisition at Gobindpura village in Mansa district.
Another showdown on cards
Farmers to stage dharnas outside the offices of DCs at Mansa, Jalandhar and Amritsar
Police contingents rushed to Mansa from other districts of the state
Sukhbir accuses Congress of playing politics, denies land was forcibly acquired
PPCC chief Amarinder has announced that the Congress would launch a morcha from Sept 2 against the acquisition
The Cong has also announced the acquisition would be scrapped and the property returned to the owners if the Congress comes to power
Flag march at Gobindpura
MANSA: Flag march by a contingent of police officials using sirens on Sunday panicked the villagers of Gobindpura where a piece of agricultural land is being acquired by the Punjab Government for Indiabulls to setup a thermal power plant. “The vehicles were fitted with ear piercing sirens and villagers, especially the children and elderly, got panicked,” said village resident Gurmeet Singh Moni.
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