Latest news with #Badal
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Sukhbir ups ante against govt over land-pooling
Ludhiana: Shiromani Akali Dal Tuesday intensified its protest against Punjab govt's plan to pool about 40,000 acres of land in 164 villages of the state to come up with urban estates and industrial pockets. The biggest chunk of land — about 25,000 acres — is to be pooled in Ludhiana alone. Badal appealed to the panchayats of affected villages to pass a resolution in their respective areas, stating that they would not allow even an inch of land to be acquired by Punjab govt, come what may. Addressing a protest at Ferozepur Road near the mini secretariat, the SAD president demanded the immediate revocation of the entire 40,000-acre land acquisition plan. He said the SAD would intensify the agitation against the "land grab" by holding weekly protests, with the first one being held on July 28 in Mohali and on August 4 at Bathinda. Significantly, this is the third time in the last two months that the SAD chief has addressed gatherings and led protests in Ludhiana against the land pooling policy. The issue has snowballed into a political controversy with a large number of farmer organisations and opposition parties stiffly opposing the move. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like This Could Be the Best Time to Trade Gold in 5 Years IC Markets Learn More Undo Badal kept on raising the issue even while campaigning for the SAD candidate during the Ludhiana (West) bypoll, despite the fact that the assembly segment was purely an urban pocket. Initially, SAD had planned Tuesday's protest on July 15 but postponed it to July 22 amid the forecast of heavy rain. Though Ludhiana saw heavy rain Tuesday as well, SAD president Sukhbir Badal announced on social media in the morning that the protest will be held as planned and not pushed forward any further. On the other hand, Punjab cabinet Tuesday amended the policy whereby even those who will pool one kanal of land will be given 125 square yards residential plot and 25 square yards of commercial space in the developed land parcel. Moreover, the govt has also offered that even after pooling their land, farmers can keep cultivating their land and the govt will offer them Rs 50,000 per acre per year. After the govt takes possession of such land, the amount would be raised to Rs one lakh per acre, with a 10% hike every year till the parcel is developed.
Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Punjab Land Pooling Policy: ‘Pass resolutions that you will not part with your land', Sukhbir Badal tells panchayats
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal Tuesday asked village panchayats to pass resolutions that they would not give their land to the AAP government under its land pooling policy. Terming it a 'land-grabbing scheme', Badal said his party would not allow even one inch of land to be acquired in the state come what may. Addressing a 'dharna' outside the deputy commissioner's office in Ludhiana, Badal demanded the immediate revocation of AAP government's plan to acquire 40,000 acres of land under its land pooling policy. He said SAD would intensify the agitation against the 'land grab' by holding weekly 'dharnas', with protests being held on July 28 in Mohali and on August 4 in Bathinda. Badal also accused AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal of being behind this 'loot in league with builders of Delhi who had been promised large land parcels as per their wishes'. 'I warn the chief secretary, who has been made chairman of all development authorities, as well as their members that they would be held accountable for illegalities being committed in land acquisition processes in the state,' he added. Badal claimed that the AAP government proposed to acquire 40,000 acres of land, including 24,000 in Ludhiana itself, under the archaic State Land Acquisition Act, 1995 instead of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. He said the 1995 law allowed for excluding land parcels from acquisition and lease as well as allowing auction or allotment of land as per the wishes of the ruling dispensation. 'This will open the doors for corruption and allow select parcels to be excluded from auction at the whims and fancies of the government. In direct contrast, the Land Acquisition Act, 2013 calls for giving compensation at four times the collector rate besides a resettlement scheme,' he said, claiming that under the land-pooling policy, the small farmers will be the biggest losers. 'Those possessing 50 acres of land would be eligible to get back 60 per cent of the same, whereas those possessing nine acres would only get 33 per cent back. Farmers would additionally not be allowed to sell the land, take loan on it or undertake change of land use (CLU) once the notification for acquisition is done', he said. Senior party leader Dr Daljit Singh Cheema said Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had tried to justify the policy. He said if the policy had been made keeping in mind the welfare of farmers then the chief minister should tell why he has been replaced as chairman of development authorities and gave this post to the chief secretary. On the issue of sacrilege incidents in 2015, when the SAD-BJP government was in power, Badal said such incidents started in Punjab only after the advent of AAP in the state in 2014. He said the issue of sacrilege was used to defame the SAD by both the AAP and the Congress to stop the Akali juggernaut, which would have otherwise swept the state for the third successive term in 2017. He said these elements did not allow a state probe into the cases of sacrilege and demanded they be handed over to the CBI. 'We transferred the cases to the CBI from where they were taken back by the Congress. Since then only politics has been done on this sensitive issue by both the AAP and Congress even as the culprits roam free,' Badal said. In stark contrast, he said, the SAD had got to the bottom of both Moga and Malerkotla sacrilege cases and ensured conviction. Badal also accused Kejriwal of supporting AAP MLA legislator Naresh Yadav, who was accused of committing the Malerkotla sacrilege. 'The AAP government forced the complainant to take back his complaint. Later despite being convicted, Kejriwal re-nominated Yadav for the party ticket from Mehrauli (in Delhi). All this only goes on to prove that AAP leaders had a hand in sacrilege incidents. We will get to the bottom of this once the SAD forms the government and punish the perpetrators', he said.
News18
a day ago
- Politics
- News18
Badal slams Punjab govt over land-pooling policy
Agency: PTI Last Updated: Ludhiana, Jul 22 (PTI) Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Tuesday slammed the AAP government over its land-pooling policy and asked village panchayats to pass resolutions against any acquisition of land. Calling the land-pooling policy a 'land-grabbing scheme", Badal said his party would not allow one inch of land to be acquired in the state come what may. Addressing a 'dharna' outside the deputy commissioner's office here against the land-pooling policy, the SAD president demanded the immediate revocation of the entire 40,000 acres of land acquisition plan. He said SAD would intensify the agitation against the 'land grab" by holding weekly 'dharnas', with protests being held on July 28 in Mohali and on August 4 in Bathinda. Badal accused AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal of being behind this 'loot in league with builders of Delhi who had been promised large land parcels as per their wishes". He warned the chief secretary, who has been made chairman of all development authorities, as well as their members that they would be held accountable for illegalities being committed in land acquisition processes in the state. Badal claimed that the AAP government proposed to acquire 40,000 acres of land, including 24,000 in Ludhiana itself, under the archaic State Land Acquisition Act, 1995 instead of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. He said the 1995 law allowed for excluding land parcels from acquisition and lease as well as allowing auction or allotment of land as per the wishes of the ruling dispensation. 'This will open the doors for corruption and allow select parcels to be excluded from auction at the whims and fancies of the government. In direct contrast, the Land Acquisition Act, 2013 calls for giving compensation at four times the collector rate besides a resettlement scheme". He claimed that under the land-pooling policy, the small farmers will be the biggest losers. 'Those possessing 50 acres of land would be eligible to get back 60 per cent of the same, whereas those possessing nine acres would only get 33 per cent back. Farmers would additionally not be allowed to sell the land, take loan on it or undertake change of land use (CLU) once the notification for acquisition is done", he said. Senior leader Dr Daljit Singh Cheema said Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had tried to justify the policy. He said if the policy had been made keeping in mind the welfare of farmers then the chief minister should tell why he has been replaced as chairman of development authorities and gave this post to the chief secretary. The AAP government has been facing flak from the opposition parties over the land-pooling policy. Even farmer bodies, including the Samukta Kisan Morcha, have also opposed the scheme. The Punjab Cabinet last month gave its nod to the land-pooling policy and had then asserted that not even a single yard will be forcibly acquired from land owners. PTI COR CHS MNK MNK view comments First Published: July 22, 2025, 19:45 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Shiromani Akali Dal announces Sukhwinder Kaur Randhawa as nominee for Tarn Taran bypoll
Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Sunday announced Sukhwinder Kaur Randhawa as the party nominee for the upcoming bypoll to Tarn Taran assembly seat. The bypoll was necessitated following the death of AAP Tarn Taran MLA Kashmir Singh Sohal last month. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category MBA Public Policy Data Science Project Management Leadership Artificial Intelligence Others Finance Digital Marketing Data Science CXO Degree healthcare Product Management Operations Management others Management Data Analytics PGDM Design Thinking Technology Healthcare Cybersecurity MCA Skills you'll gain: Analytical Skills Financial Literacy Leadership and Management Skills Strategic Thinking Duration: 24 Months Vellore Institute of Technology VIT Online MBA Starts on Aug 14, 2024 Get Details Skills you'll gain: Financial Management Team Leadership & Collaboration Financial Reporting & Analysis Advocacy Strategies for Leadership Duration: 18 Months UMass Global Master of Business Administration (MBA) Starts on May 13, 2024 Get Details The date for the bypoll is yet to be announced. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Is it legal? How to get Internet without paying a subscription? Techno Mag Learn More Undo Randhawa was announced as the SAD candidate after she joined the Sukhbir Singh Badal-led outfit. She was part of the Azad group. She joined the SAD along with 43 sitting sarpanches, eight municipal councillors and dozens of former sarpanches. Live Events She said the Azad group had taken this decision in the interest of the constituency as well as the 'Panth' and Punjab. Randhawa was also made the 'halqa' (constituency) in-charge on the occasion. Addressing a political conference in Jhabal village here, Badal said, "Today's congregation has set the tone for a SAD victory in the forthcoming by-election." He also appointed party leader Gulzar Singh Ranike as the in-charge for Tarn Taran bypoll campaign. Asserting that the SAD represented Punjab, Badal appealed to Punjabis to unite under the party's flag to counter "outside forces who wanted to loot the state." He alleged that these "forces" were behind the 2015 acts of sacrilege which were committed with the sole aim of "weakening" the Akali Dal. Badal accused AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal of arriving at an "arrangement with builders to hand over 40,000 acres of fertile land to them" under his party's land pooling policy. "This is being done to collect money to contest elections and fill the central coffers of AAP," he alleged. "We will not let this government acquire even one inch of land," he added.
Time of India
05-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Akali Dal chief Badal declared ‘tankhaiya' by Harimandir Ji
Patna: In a significant development that has stirred the Sikh community , the high priests of Takhat Shri Harimandir Ji Patna Sahib on Saturday pronounced Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal 'tankhaiya' (guilty of religious punishment) on Saturday. The declaration came after Badal repeatedly failed to appear before the religious body despite multiple summons. This is the second time Badal has faced such religious censure, following a similar pronouncement by the Akal Takht in Aug last year. The Akal Takht had previously awarded 'tankhah' (religious punishment) for alleged misdeeds during the Shiromani Akali Dal govt's tenure in Punjab from 2007 to 2017. The current controversy stems from a complex dispute between two major Sikh temporal seats. On May 21, the Akal Takht barred Takhat Shri Harimandir Ji Patna Sahib's Jathedar Giani Baldev Singh and additional head granthi from performing 'panthic' duties. In response, Takhat Shri Harimandir Ji Patna Sahib declared the jathedars of Akal Takht and Takht Damdama Sahib as 'tankhaiya' and summoned Badal for his alleged role as a conspirator. Overruling Akal Takht's order, Giani Baldev Singh, pronounced the verdict. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Dores nos nervos e neuropatia? Esse truque está surpreendendo. A arte do herbalismo Undo He said Badal was given multiple opportunities to present his case. "Despite three chances, including a 20-day extension requested by SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami, Badal failed to appear, clearly indicating his involvement in the controversial events," Singh said. The decision has sparked concern within the Sikh community's leadership. Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami, in a statement issued in Chandigarh, criticised the move, describing it as beyond Patna Sahib's jurisdiction and potentially divisive for the Sikh community. He emphasised that such actions could undermine the supreme authority of the Akal Takht and create unnecessary internal discord. "While Takhat Shri Harimandir Ji Patna Sahib commands great respect in the Sikh world, the authority on 'panthic' matters traditionally rests with the Akal Takht," Dhami said. He reminded that historically, 'panthic' issues are addressed collectively by the five Singh Sahibs under Akal Takht's leadership. The five Singh Sahibs are: Singh Sahib Bhai Baldev Singh Jathedar (head granthi); Singh Sahib Bhai Dilip Singh (additional head granthi); Singh Sahib Bhai Gurdial Singh (additional head granthi); Singh Sahib Bhai Parshuram Singh (senior meet granthi) and Singh Sahib Bhai Amarjit Singh (meet granthi). The situation highlights growing tension among various Sikh religious authorities and raises questions about jurisdiction and hierarchy within the community's institutional framework. As one of Sikhism's five temporal seats, Takhat Shri Harimandir Ji Patna Sahib's decision carries significant weight, though the Akal Takht in Amritsar remains the supreme authority in Sikhism.
