Cong MP Amrinder Singh Raj Warring warns against land acquisition around Ludhiana for non-agricultural use.

Ludhiana: Punjab Congress president and Ludhiana MP Amarinder Singh Raja Warring has lashed out at the Aam Aadmi Party government's proposal to acquire over 23,000 acres of agricultural land around Ludhiana for non-agricultural use, warning it would devastate farmers and irreversibly damage the environment.

In a letter to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Warring said the plan would convert fertile farmland into a "concrete jungle" and accused the AAP government of acting like "colonisers." "This is not development — it's destruction," Warring wrote. "You're stripping tens of thousands of farmers of their livelihoods, pushing them from prosperity to poverty." Warring said the large-scale acquisition would not only cripple the rural economy but also threaten Punjab's agricultural identity. "Punjab is an agricultural state. We can't afford to sacrifice green fields to cement and concrete, especially when there is no urgent requirement," he said.

The Congress leader also raised concerns about the social impact of the plan. "If executed, this will turn farmers into landless labourers in urban slums," he warned. "The anger among affected communities is real and growing." He questioned the necessity of acquiring new land when hundreds of existing colonies around Ludhiana remain underdeveloped. "Why not regularise those colonies and invest in public services there, rather than displacing farmers?" he asked.

In a pointed jab at the AAP's Delhi leadership, Warring suggested the move may be driven by electoral opportunism. "Is this some populist scheme cooked up by rejected experts from Delhi ahead of the 2027 polls? Are you robbing Peter to pay Paul?" he asked.

Appealing to Mann's personal roots, Warring reminded the chief minister of his own background in farming. "Please have pity on your brethren. Those giving you this advice from Delhi have nothing to lose. You and we, however, have to live and die here." Calling the plan an "ill-advised move," Warring urged Mann to abandon the proposal for the sake of future generations. "Our ancestors belong to this land — and so will our children. Let's not destroy what they built." The AAP government has yet to respond to the criticism.

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