CHANDIGARH, Punjab—As the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, has given nod to three farm bills which are anti-farmers in nature and affect Punjab badly, stir against these legislations is going to be intensified and Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh will also sit on dharna over it at Shaheed Bhagat Singh’s native village Khatkarh Kalan in SBS Nagar on September 28 on his birth anniversary.
The CM said he would sit on dharna against these legislations implemented by BJP-led union government after paying tributes to Shaheed Bhagat Singh at his samadh.
Notably, the SAD (B) is taking out three separate protest marches from Akal Takht Sahib, Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib and Takht Sri Damdama Sahib to Mohali against these bills on October 1. Same day the farmers will launch indefinite stir of ‘Rail Roko’ (laying siege to railway tracks). One of the farmer organizations is already undertaking this stir at seven places in Punjab from September 24, due to which the railway department had to cancel all the trains coming from and to Punjab.
Expressing his views on the President’s assent to the Farm Bills Captain Amarinder Singh said his government is exploring all options, including possible amendments to the state laws, to protect the interests of the farmers.
All farmer organisations and other stakeholders would be taken into confidence before taking any decision on the way forward, the Chief Minister said, adding that the state government was committed to the procurement of every single grain of the farmers without compromising on the pricing. His government was already in consultation with legal and agricultural experts, and all those impacted by the Central Government’s calamitous legislations, to decide on the future course of action, he said.
“Besides legal recourse, our government is looking at other options to scuttle the Centre’s new Agriculture laws that are designed to ruin Punjab’s farmers and economy”, said the Chief Minister.
The Chief Minister expressed disappointment and anguish over the decision of President Ram Nath Kovind to give the nod to the three unconstitutional and anti-farmer Agriculture Bills, without giving the Congress and other Opposition parties the opportunity to put their concerns before the Parliament. The President’s assent had come as a big blow to the farmers, who are out on the roads protesting against the Centre’s assault on their interests, he said.
He added, “Implementation of these dangerous new laws in their current form will destroy Punjab’s agriculture – the lifeline of its economy. The very livelihood of farmers is at stake due to these legislations, which the Government of India has succeeded in imposing on the states and the farming community by brute majority”.
