Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring today reiterated his strong reservations against the “land pooling” policy of the Aam Aadmi Party government, warning that it will lead to destruction of the Punjab’s agrarian economy.The PCC president also strongly defended the re-induction of party leaders into the Congress, saying there were no differences on the issue and everybody was welcome into the party.
In an informal conversation with reporters after addressing a meeting of the ‘constituency coordinators’ at the PCC headquarters here today, Warring observed that the ‘land pooling’ policy was only aimed at collecting money. He said acquiring 24,000 acres of agricultural land will shake the agriculture economy of the state and it will eventually hit every section of the society.
He pointed out, Punjab’s entire economy, trade and industry depends on agriculture that keeps the economy moving. “When you undermine the base, the entire economic edifice will collapse”, he warned.
The PCC president maintained that the government had not taken the stakeholders into confidence. Besides, he asked, whether there really was any need for this policy when there is no demand for residential or industrial plots anywhere.
He pointed out, there are a large number of residential colonies set up by private builders with so many plots left unsold. The same is the case with the residential apartments, he noted, while asking, when there is already abundance of the residential plots, where is the need to create more?
Replying to another question about reported differences within the party over induction of people from other parties into the Congress, Warring categorically stated that there was no difference anywhere. “Every party likes to expand its base and strengthen itself and the more the people join the party, the better it is”, he said, while reacting to the joining of the leaders from various parties recently.
On the Ludhiana West by-election, the PCC president claimed that the Congress was far ahead of others. He expressed confidence that the party will win the by-election with a record margin.
To another question on the BJP state president Sunil Jakhar and union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu’s remarks about him, he retorted, “the two of them were enough to sink the BJP’s boat as they had sunk the Congress boat a few years ago”. Replying to a question about a village putting itself on sale over failure of the government to stop drug peddling, Warring remarked, “there cannot be a bigger slap on the face of the Punjab Government and proof of the defeat in the so called ‘Yudh’, than an entire village putting itself for sale as the pedlars are having a field day there”.
Bhai Bhaktaur is not an exception but an example as how drugs are freely available in Punjab, irrespective of the Punjab government’s claims, he said, while adding, “not only are the pedlars selling drugs, they have the audacity to beat up an ex-serviceman who was opposing the sale of drugs”.
Government should hang its head in shame, he remarked.
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