The first Punjabi to be Prime Minister, a "refugee" from West Punjab, I K Gujral sure melts many hearts here. But at least 15,000 voters are fuming -- they have boycotted the polls. All refugees from West Punjab, these voters may be uprooted again. What hurts them, they say, is that Gujral Sahib, himself a refugee, "doesn't understand."The Punjab Urban Development Authority (PUDA) has issued a notice to acquire 945 acres in the villages of Waryana, Basti Bawa Khel, Basti Pir Dad and Nagra. This affects about 3,000 farmers, house-owners, plot holders, shopkeepers and factory owners.
Baldev Krishna, 68, a small farmer with three acres in Waryana village, says: "Before Partition, I was a college student from an affluent family. When we migrated here, the family was penniless. I devoted my life to develop the barren piece of land I got. Now it is green, I have a tubewell and a small farm house. But I am being uprooted again. Gujral Sahib, who came here uprooted, should at least understand."
ForGujral, tackling these complaints hasn't been easy. He may have waived the loan and got Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal's magnanimity in return. But after visiting shrines of various godmen, getting Shabana Azmi as a star attraction, hopping from school to school, he's left it to son Naresh to appease these angry refugees.
Naresh visited Gautam Nagar, a fully approved and developed colony in the affected areas. Says Ashwini handa, president, Gautam Nagar Society: "Nareshji told us our case will be pleaded. But we are wary of these promises at election time. The real question is: how can an already approved and developed area be developed again?"
The land-acquisition notice is based on a survey done 17 years ago. Over the years, many approved colonies have come up and houseowners have paid development charges. Ever since the notification appeared in November last year, the affected people have been sending memos to the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister. Says Surjit Kumar Prabhakar, president, JointAction Committee Against Land Acquisition: "We have decided to boycott the elections. Not only this, but the refugees may even cast a negative vote in favour of the Congress."
Harjinder Singh, 45, son of a migrant from Lyallpur, says, "The two acres is all that our family has. My only plea is not to uproot us again." Is Gujral listening? Or is he busy threatening Clinton?
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
