Akalis pledge to buy land in West, help emigration

LUDHIANA: It is perhaps the first time in electoral history that a political party has tried to woo the electorate by promising to buy land abroad and to help its citizens emigrate. This promise in Shiromani Akali Dal's (SAD) manifesto, clearly aimed at Punjabis' craze of going abroad, released by party chief Sukhbir Singh Badal at Ludhiana on Tuesday has invited criticism from the opposition parties.

According to the manifesto, if SAD forms a government in Punjab, it will buy 1 lakh acres of land in US, Canada and other countries and allot this to state's farmers for running professional farmer settlements. Under this initiative, the government will help farmers and state's citizens secure permanent resident status in those countries. However, Sukhbir skipped speaking about this and several other important poll promises during the launch.

Speaking to TOI, Shakeel Ahmad, national spokesperson and general secretary of Congress, said, "This is a laughable promise made by the Badals, but it is very uto pian and unfortunate as well. They have insulted Punjabis and the waters of the state as well by making such an announcement, Punjabis will give them a befitting reply on February 4." He pointed out that such SAD policies have ruined Punjab which was the number one state in the country ."The GDP of the state has tumbled drastically and in terms of per capita in come it is at 14th place instead of 5th spot during Congress rule," he said.

Sanjay Singh, AAP's Pun jab affairs in-charge, too, termed it as a desperate attempt by Akalis to hold on to power. "By making such a promise Akalis and Badals have admitted that they have destroyed Punjab ully and they do not consider it worth living in. It is only due to their misrule and corruption that the trade, industry and agriculture sectors of the state has finished. It's yet another futile attempt by them to fool people but no one will fall into their trap."