Chandigarh, Aug 7 The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), on Thursday, announced the launch of an indefinite "morcha" from September 1 against the Punjab government's land pooling policy, which aims to acquire around 26,000 acres in Ludhiana district alone for setting up residential and commercial projects.
The Akali Dal will perform an 'ardas' at Sri Akal Takht Sahib on August 31 before launching its protest march.
SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal told the media here that the 'morcha' is dedicated to safeguarding farmers, farm labourers, traders and other sections of society, all of whom will be badly hit by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Convener Arvind Kejriwal's Rs 30,000 crore deal with builders of Delhi to collect funds to expand his own political interests in other parts of the country.
Badal will lead the first 'jatha' (group) on September 1 from Gurudwara Amb Sahib in Mohali and march to the new 'Sheesh Mahal' at the nearby Panchayat Bhawan, which Kejriwal has made his residence in Punjab.
SAD workers from each Assembly constituency will subsequently participate in a continuous 'dharna' and march from the same site in 'jathas' of 500 people each indefinitely till the AAP government revokes the land pooling scheme.
A three-member coordinating committee of Daljit Singh Cheema, N.K. Sharma and Mohali district president Parminder Singh Sohana has been formed for the statewide protest.
Badal also announced that the party was unanimous in its decision to revoke the land pooling scheme after taking over the reins of the state in 2027, if the AAP government "persisted with its nefarious designs".
"We will hand over the entire acquired land back to the farmers after forming a special law for the purpose in the same manner in which land on which the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal was handed back to original owners by Parkash Singh Badal in 2016," he said.
The SAD President also made an appeal to all Akali leaders who left the party on one pretext or another to come back to the party fold in keeping with the appeal by Akal Takht on Wednesday calling for unity in the 'quom'.
Asserting that he had always followed the directions of Akal Takht, Sukhbir Singh Badal said, "I bow my head towards the Takht. I feel it is the duty of every Sikh to obey the directives of the Singh Sahiban. I appeal with folded hands to all Akali leaders who have parted ways with the party to return to their roots to strengthen the 'panth' and Punjab. I also appeal to them to forgive me if I have hurt them in any manner whatsoever while urging them to keep in mind the need to strengthen the 'jathebandi' at this crucial juncture."
He also condemned the witch hunt being launched in the Majha region with supporters of senior SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia being hauled up to police stations.
He said that Majithia had been falsely implicated in a fabricated case after repeated investigations by various Special Investigation Teams (SITs) failed to indict him of any wrongdoing.
Asserting that senior police officers were responsible for safeguarding the law and not breaking it, Sukhbir Singh Badal said they could be proceeded against for indulging in such illegalities.
He also said that SAD would approach the Governor Gulab Chand Kataria and apprise him of the entire matter soon.
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