Accusing Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for making fool of farmers on the SYl canal issue, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday said that Badal owes an apology to the farmers for compromising on the contentious issue in lieu of political gains.
AAP’s senior leader and renowned Supreme Court advocate HS Phoolka said that Punjab Cabinet’s decision to de-notify land acquisition Act and to return land to farmers is another attempt to make fool of farmers. “Such a decision itself indicates that Badal’s act in 1978 to acquire land was wrong and he must apologise to the people, who suffered a lot due to this,” said Phoolka.
Badal must compensate farmers by giving them ownership of his hotel at Gurgaon, for that the land was given to him by his friend Devi lal for helping him to get waters of Punjab through SYl, Phoolka demanded. AAP’s state convener Gurpreet Singh Waraich (Ghuggi) said that Badal must explained that if Akalis are coming with this de-notification of acquired land for SYl, what they did during last session of assembly, when they resolved the same in the House.
“Stop befooling people of Punjab and time is ripe that Badal should use his influence over the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to get the Act nullify in the lok Sabha,” he suggested. Ghuggi sought permanent solution of the SYl issue and demanded transfer of acquired land to farmers in legal way so that in future they should not be trapped in legal course.
Reacting on the Badal’s statement that Akalis would launch a signature campaign and truck loaded with signature of farmers against SYl canal would be sent to the Centre, Ghuggi termed it as “irresponsible statement” while asking Badal about the fate of “trucks loaded with money” which he had promised that Punjab would get, once Modi is elected as Prime Minister.