Compensation row: No entry for BJP, JJP netas here

GURUGRAM: Farmers affected by the acquisition of 1,810 acres of land for the expansion of Manesar industrial area have decided not to allow any politician from the ruling BJP-JJP alliance to set foot in their villages. They have also put up posters at entry points of 14 villages.
The state government started the process to acquire 1,810 acres of land from 14 villages in 2011 but the disbursement of compensation started a few months back only. The government is offering a compensation of Rs 91 lakh per acre, while the farmers are demanding Rs 10 crore per acre.
A group of farmers even met CM Manohar Lal Khattar in Chandigarh on Monday, for the fifth time, but failed to get a satisfactory reply. And on Tuesday, the farmers held a mahapanchayat and decided to boycott the politicians of the ruling alliance.
“Every time the chief minister visits Gurgaon, we will stage protests. We will not let any politician from the BJP or JJP enter our villages. This government is anti-farmer, and we will ensure its defeat in the next election,” said Rohtas Yadav, one of the affected farmers.
According to the villagers, the CM gave them a proposal to allot a 500 square yard plot at the rate of Rs 16,000 per square yard and buy back the same for Rs 35,000 per square yard a few years later so that they can earn some profit.
“But the government has proposed to give a 500 square yards plot for one acre of land and a 250 square yard plot for half an acre of land. Anyone having less than half an acre of land will not be eligible for the plot and one family can get only one plot. “The offer is not acceptable to us,” said Moti Lal, another farmer.
The process for acquisition of 1,810 acres of land in Kasan, Sehrawan, Kunkrola, Fazilpur, Fukurpur, Mokalwas, Kharkhadi, Bas Lambi, Manesar, Naharpur Kasan, Dhana, Bas Kushla, Bas Hariya, and Nakhrola started in 2011. The land acquisition was challenged by an NGO, Zamin Bachao, Kishan Bachao.
The Supreme Court subsequently stayed the acquisition process but in 2013, then UPA government came up with a new land acquisition act. In 2019, the Punjab and Haryana HC directed the formation of a high-powered committee.
“No such committee was formed and in August 2022, the state government issued a notification for compensation,” said Satyadev, sarpanch from Kasan. “The government is giving compensation of Rs 55 lakh plus interest which comes to around Rs 91 lakh per acre. The market rate is around Rs 10 crore per acres.”
Pradeep Yadav, counsel for Zamin Bachao, Kishan Bachao, said, “Around 20,000 families will be affected by the acquisition of 1,810 acres of land.”
Haryana BJP chief Om Prakash Dhankar said, “The state government is trying to address the grievances of the people. It’s a legacy issue we inherited from the previous government.”
District president of JJP, Rishi Raj Rana said his party is pro-farmers. “As per our understanding, the state government is in talks with the farmers.”