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Badals target Capt Amarinder Singh for farm laws adopted by Narendra Modi government

Ground Zero

Jagtar Singh

 

They did not speak even one word against Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the day the farmers staged dharnas and blocked the highways against the farm legislation adopted by the BJP government at the centre.

Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal and his wife and former union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal today mainly targeted Capt Amarinder Singh and sought his resignation.

The farmers, on the contrary, trashed the Modi government.

The Badals addressed the party dharna-cum-conference at Lambi today.

Harsimrat did her best to project herself as the anguished ‘Daughter of Punjab’ (Punjab Di Dhee) who had resigned from the cabinet against the farm acts. However, the husband-wife team did not utter a word about the vociferous defence of the same till a few days before she resigned as the anger among the farmers mounted in Punjab.

There was no mention of the name of Narendra Modi in their speeches.

There was no mention about the continuing alliance with the BJP.

In Amritsar, Harsimrat’s brother and former minister Bikram Singh Majithia skirted a direct question posed by a TV journalist on alliance with BJP.

It is to be mentioned here that the farm legislations are part of the policy of liberalization of markets  and the Congress might have done the same had the party been in power at the centre. These farm policies flow from the WTO regime.

There is yet another interesting dimension in Sukhbir’s speech.

At one time, the achievements used to be that of the Akali Dal government. Not any more. He gave all the credit to his father Parkash Singh Badal for various development and welfare schemes introduced by successive Akali governments that he headed.

But then Bargari narrative relating to the sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib also happened under Badal government.

The basic issue is the threat apprehended by the farmers in Punjab and Haryana from the farm legislation adopted by the Modi government and the safety net for them.

It may be mentioned that the issue is not just the continuation of MSP regime as the same is available only to 6 per cent of the farmers in the country and that too mainly in Punjab and Haryana and limited for the procurement of wheat and paddy only. Farmers don’t get MSP for any other crop.

The issue is of saving both farming and the farmers.

Punjab has been witness to many a battles fought by the farmers beginning “Pagri Sambhal Jatta” movement of 1907 that was led by Ajit Singh, uncle of Shaheed Bhagat Singh.

History seems to be repeating itself.

Here goes the party release relating to Lambi dharna in which there is no mention of Narendra Modi: 

 

“The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today held large protests across the State as part of its ‘chakka jam’ programme to express solidarity with farmers even as it asked chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh to call an immediate cabinet meeting and pass an ordinance to declare the entire State as one Mandi (Principal Market Yard) to ensure the central agricultural Bills are not enforceable in Punjab.

SAD workers held protests in all constituencies of the State along with farmers, khet mazdoor and arhatiyas and assured farmers that the party would not let any discrimination be meted out to them. They party also gave a clarion call to all parties and organizations protesting against the Agricultural Bills to unite for the cause of the farmers.

Speaking at the protest meeting at Lambi after leading a Tractor Rally from Badal village, SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal said chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh should call a cabinet meeting immediately and come out with an ordinance to declare the entire State as a principal market yard. He said subsequent to this the government should also hold a special session of the State assembly to ratify the Ordinance. “I have moved this proposal two days back. The government should move quickly on this to save the future of our coming generations”, Mr Badal told newsmen later.

The SAD President also exposed the chief minister for shedding crocodile tears for the welfare of farmers. He said it was Capt Amarinder Singh who had amended the State APMC Act as per his party’s election manifesto and ratified private mandis, contract farming and e trading. “We want the Congress government to call a special session to revoke this amendment”.

Mr Badal also announced on the spot that in case the Congress government did not take these measures, the SAD would do so once it came to power in the State.

Speaking on the occasion amidst slogans of ‘eko naara kisan pyara’, former union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal said she had done her duty as a daughter of Punjab. She said it was chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh who had backstabbed the farmers. “The chief minister knew since August last year that the ordinances were in the offing. There is a concrete proof the same in the form of a letter received by his government but he chose to remain silent instead of protesting against the move to protect the interest of farmers. I on the other hand resigned from the ministry when I realised the misgivings of the farmers were not being addressed. If Capt Amarinder Singh is so concerned about farmers he should also resign his post”, Mrs Badal added.”


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