Click to play videoBarnala: Thousands of farmers clashed with police in Punjab's Barnala district on Wednesday morning.
The farmers were protesting the government's forcible acquisition of land for the Ludhiana-based Trident Group, which has set up an industrial unit. And Punjab's Opposition parties have been quick to take sides.
With just two weeks to go to the polls SEZs may become a big election issue now.
SAD (Mann) Leader Simranjeet Singh Mann said, “Land has been acquired from these poor farmers for Rs 6 lakh per farm. This is not acceptable.”
Nearly 376 acres covering three villages were acquired by the government and farmers were paid between Rs 4 and Rs 10 lakh an acre. The Punjab congress are now saying these protests are purely political.
PPCC Chief Shamsher Singh Dullo said, “This is mere political game by Akalis. Farmers have been compensated. “
But most farmers say they refused the government's compensation and have been protesting the move since the first notification. They are not giving up any time soon either.
By the evening, tempers had risen in other parts of Punjab as well.
The Shatabdi Express from Amritsar to Delhi was halted by farmers who were objecting to land acquisition for the 1407 acre Special Economic Zone near Amritsar.
Farmers say the government needs to stop down marking prices for land, and forcing people to give up their only immovable asset.
The government says land prices are going up in Punjab and the farmers should be happy about it.
But the situation on the ground does not seem to be reflecting with farmers in Barnala and Amritsar protesting against forcible land acquisition and marked down prices by the govt. This is going to turn into major election issue.
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