Revoke red entries in land records for burning stubble: Akali Dal
Darpan News Desk IANS, 17 Nov, 2022 12:47 PM
Chandigarh, Nov 17 (IANS) Senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia on Thursday demanded the revocation of red entries made in land records of thousands of farmers, saying they had burnt paddy stubble only after Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had failed to compensate them for the cost incurred in managing it.
Asserting that the SAD stood with the beleaguered peasantry, he announced the party would oppose collection of penalties imposed on the farmers, besides launching a sustained campaign in case the red entries in land records were not revoked.
"The AAP government has created another list akin to the black list of the Central government which will cause untold hardship to farmers who will become ineligible for loans and will not be able to mortgage their land. This is discriminatory and a plot to deny them access to various other government benefits also which is intolerable," former minister Majithia added.
Holding the Chief Minister responsible for the current state of affairs, the Akali leader said that "farmers burnt their paddy stubble only after Bhagwant Mann went back on his word to give them a cash incentive of Rs 2,500 per acre to offset them for the loss incurred in managing it".
He said after making announcements and milking cheap publicity, the AAP government did not pay a single rupee to farmers to manage their paddy stubble. "Instead coercive steps, including police action, were taken to force farmers to manage their stubble at their own cost. Those unable to do so due to financial constraints have been penalised and red entries have been made in their land records."
Asserting that the AAP government should have taken on the responsibility of managing the paddy straw, Majithia said instead of doing this farmers had been encouraged to purchase heavy machinery for which even the promised grants had not been released.
"Moreover, small and marginal farmers cannot purchase these machines which are usable for only a fortnight annually."
He said action was being taken against these farmers despite a clear assurance by the AAP government that no punitive action would be taken against farmers who burnt stubble due to lack of machines or resources.
Majithia said like in the case of law and order and general administration, the AAP government had created a crisis in the agricultural sector by repeatedly failing to come to the aid of farmers and addressing their grievances.
Over 7,400 Indian nationals are expected to be evacuated under the 'Operation Ganga' in the next two days, the government said on Thursday. The Centre has initiated an airlift operation to evacuate Indians, who have found their way to the neighbouring countries of war-torn Ukraine.
This advisory, prepared by the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, warns about aerial raids, missile attacks, artillery shelling, small arms and gunfire, grenade explosions and 'Molotov cocktails', including by local people/militia.
The flight IX-1202 with 183 passengers, including an infant, arrived at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport at around 5.40 a.m. The evacuees were received by Union Minister of State for Railways Raosaheb Danve-Patil with flowers and words of solace as they trooped out lugging their belongings.
"Indian students are being pushed out of trains, they are not allowed to board, if questioned they are being assaulted and guns are being pointed at them,". There are many incidents where Indians were asked to leave bunkers. Ukraninans are telling Indian students that India is not supporting them and why should they help them?
The two leaders reviewed the situation, especially in the city of Kharkiv where many Indian students are stuck, and discussed the safe evacuation of Indian nationals from the conflict areas, an MEA statement said.
Officials said the administration was in touch with the families of 32 students belonging to the Jammu division who are stranded in Ukraine. Officials said nine evacuation flights have so far brought back around 2,000 Indians stranded in Ukraine since February 26.
