Chandigarh/Jalandhar(Punjab Outlook) — In a glaring political reversal that has drawn the ire of farmers and civil society, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), once celebrated for standing shoulder to shoulder with the masses against systemic injustice, now finds itself accused of betraying the very people it once vowed to protect.
Back in 2011, the leaders of AAP were on the frontlines of the Lokpal movement, passionately opposing corruption and arbitrary governance. Arvind Kejriwal, along with Anna Hazare, had mobilized the nation under the banner of accountability and transparency. Land grabbing and exploitation of farmers were among the very injustices they had promised to fight against.
Fast forward to 2025, and the same party is now pushing the controversial Land Pooling scheme in Punjab, which has triggered a wave of protests and resistance in rural areas. Farmers allege that the scheme, being marketed as a development initiative, is actually a deceptive move to snatch their ancestral agricultural land under the pretext of urban planning. They argue it is a modern-day land grab, orchestrated by the same leaders who once claimed to be the guardians of their rights.
Anger boiled over recently in Kot Kalan village near Jalandhar Cantt, where AAP workers trying to promote the scheme were confronted by agitated villagers. The confrontation escalated when locals seized and burned the promotional materials, shouting slogans against the state government and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. Many accused the party of misleading farmers with false promises and backdoor tactics.
“This is not land pooling, it’s land looting,” shouted one protester, adding, “Those who once demanded Lokpal are now snatching our land through Land Pool.”
Critics argue that the shift in AAP’s stance exemplifies how power can corrupt ideals. They believe that the government’s bulldozing of this scheme without genuine farmer consent reflects a betrayal of the core values that gave birth to AAP.
As opposition mounts and protests intensify, the AAP government faces growing pressure to withdraw the scheme. Farmers and activists warn that continued forceful imposition of the land pooling policy may lead to a state-wide agitation reminiscent of the farmers’ protest that rocked the nation just a few years ago.
Whether the government listens to the voice of the landowners or continues down this controversial path remains to be seen. But for many, the contrast between 2011’s “Protest for Lokpal” and 2025’s “Push for Land Pool” is not just ironic — it’s heartbreaking.