Ludhiana, Aug. 8 -- Farmers under the banner of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) announced a rally on August 16 at Baba Bakala in Amritsar against the Punjab government's land pooling policy. The announcement came on the day when the Punjab and Haryana high court ordered an interim stay on the operation of the policy but the farm unions insisted that the court's order will not alter their programme. Speaking at the 'Zameen Bachao Rally' held at the grain market of Jodhan village in Ludhiana, Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta) leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal said this is not just about land, it's about the future of Punjab and its people. "The government wants to take away our fertile land to give it to big companies. The government had taken land in the past, too, promising development and compensation, but never fulfilled those promises. As a result, many families were left without land or money and had to work as labourers to survive. The protest at Baba Bakala on August 16 will be a warning to the Punjab government to roll back the land pooling policy," Dallewal said. Supinder Singh Bagga, district president ofBKU (Ekta), said that despite the stay by the HC, the union will continue their protest. "There is no change in the programmes announced by the union," he added. Dallewal said that the farm unions will also intensify stir against the Centre to press for their key demands, including a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP), full loan waivers, justice for the Lakhimpur Kheri victims, withdrawal of the free trade agreements, and the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission report. "As a precursor to this, farmers will hold meetings on August 10 in Panipat, Haryana, on August 11 in Ganganagar, Rajasthan, on August 12 in Hanumangarh, Rajasthan, on August 14 in Itarsi, Madhya Pradesh, on August 15 in Ashok Nagar, Madhya Pradesh and on August 16 in Baba Bakala, Amritsar. Following these, mahapanchayats will be held in Uttar Pradesh on August 17, 18, and 19. After that, on August 25, people from across India will gather in Delhi to raise their voices for their rightful demands, under the call given by SKM (Non-Political) Bharat," Dallewal said. The Punjab Congress on Wednesday welcomed the Punjab and Haryana high court's decision to stay the Land Pooling Policy, calling it a "victory for the people of Punjab" and a vindication of farmers' concerns. Hailing the court's intervention, state Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring said, "We welcome the stay and salute the strong resolve of Punjab's people, especially our farmers." Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa called the HC's stay a "historic victory". SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Thursday slammed the AAP government over its policy, calling it a "land-grabbing" scheme and saying his party will protest the Bhagwant Mann dispensation from September 1 in Mohali till it is withdrawn. He alleged that AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal had done an "underhand deal" with Delhi builders to "hand over" farmers' land to them. He will lead the first 'jatha' on September 1 from Gurdwara Amb Sahib in Mohali and will march to Panchayat Bhawan....