NE NEWS SERVICE
CHANDIGARH, MAR 5
The Punjab Assembly on Friday passed a resolution seeking withdrawal of the Central farm laws while Chief Minister Amarinder Singh slammed BJP leaders for their “reprehensible” statements against farmers protesting the legislations and asserted that they were not anti-nationals.
He appealed to the Centre to withdraw all cases and notices against the agitating farmers to build a congenial environment for an amicable solution to the issue.
Introducing the resolution, Singh said these laws cannot be allowed to remain on the statute book to the “detriment” of the farmers, as not only are they “against the principles of cooperative federalism but their objectives are apparently preposterous”.
The resolution, which was passed unanimously by those present in the House, expressed the angst of the legislators against the “inconsiderate and unresponsive attitude” of the Centre, which has “aggravated the situation and enhanced unrest and anguish amongst the farmers”.
It demanded the unconditional withdrawal of the farm laws in the interest of the farmers and the state, and to continue with the existing system of MSP-based government procurement of food grains.
AAP, SAD and BJP members were not present in the House when the resolution was passed.
The chief minister raised 10 questions for the nation to “expose the true intent” of the Centre behind these legislations and the “lacunae” that make the laws unacceptable under any circumstances.
“Who benefits from completely unregulated private mandis and who benefits from 100 percent waiver of mandi fees, cess, and taxes in a private mandi. Who benefits when we abolish the institution of commission agents mandated by law to provide mandi services of cleaning of grains, unloading and loading of bags and stitching of bags strictly at rates fixed by the Government,” he posed.
He also asked who benefits when stock limits on the storage of food grains by private persons and corporates are abolished.
Launching a frontal attack against BJP leaders over their “reprehensible” statements against the farmers, the chief minister asserted that the farmers and farmworkers of Punjab are not “anti-nationals, but are as patriotic and nationalistic as those who gave their lives in the Galwan valley last year to protect India”s integrity and sovereignty”.
Calling for an immediate end to attempts to defame Punjabi farmers by branding them “miscreants or ultras”, Singh said, “They have never done anything anti-national, they are not anti-nationals, and they will never do anything against the unity and integrity of this country.”
Referring to Haryana minister J P Dalal’s remarks that the farmers who lost their lives during the agitation would, in any case, have died in their homes, Singh said, “This is absurd. This is the agriculture minister. I feel farmers should hang him upside down.”
He demanded an unconditional apology from Dalal for his “insensitive conduct”.
Singh also took exception to Union Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Minister Piyush Goyal’s allegation that the Punjab government was trying to mislead farmers.
The chief minister, in a statement, lashed out at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for “once again exposing its true colours” on the issue of the farm laws and the farmers’ agitation by walking out of the House before the resolution was put to vote.
