March 5, 2015 by admin

Jatt Mahasabha plans dharnas on March 18 over land acquisition

Chandigarh, Agitated over the amendment in the Land Acquisition Bill, terming it as yet another anti-farmer step by the Narendra Modi government, the All-India Jatt Mahasabha, led by the former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, has decided to hold demonstrations at all district headquarters in Punjab on March 18.
The sabha has asked the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leadership to withdraw its minister in the Union Cabinet and not just pay “lip service” to the farmers.
“The SAD, that claims to champion farmers’ rights, is doing nothing concrete to protect their interests which were well-protected under the UPA government. If the SAD is sincere in helping the farming community, it should ask its representative to walk out of the Union Cabinet to protest the “pro-corporate amendments in the Bill,” said Kushaldeep Singh Dhillon, president, All-India Jatt Mahasabha, Punjab.
Capt Amarinder Sigh did not attend the sabha’s crucial session on the government’s land acquisition law because of a wedding in his family.
Dhillon alleged that rather than protecting the farmers’ rights, the Modi government was making them vulnerable to big corporate houses. “It is an alarming signal that none can ignore. The proposed dilution of central foodgrain procurement agency (FCI) is another serious issue. Punjab. We fear the Centre is treading towards abolition of MSP (minimum support price),” Kushaldeep said.
He said after district-level dharnas, the sabha would protest at the state and national level.