:dateline Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of Delhi has quietly started implementing one of three farm laws that have sparked unprecedented protests by farmers, the Punjab unit of the AAP is in a fix as its leaders are showing solidarity with the agitating farmers.
As per media reports, the Delhi government has notified the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, 2020 allowing the trade of food grains and poultry outside the premises of APMC Mandis. The notification was issued on November 23.
This has been done despite Chief Minister Kejriwal termed the legislations introduced by BJP-led union government of India “anti-farmer” and demanded their rollback.
When farmers of Punjab are playing a leading role in the agitation continuing on the outskirts of Delhi against the farm laws and protesting there, the move has sent AAP leadership of Punjab into tizzy and made it answerless before the people of the state. Their rival politicians are taking jibe on Kejriwal and Punjab AAP leaders by passing comments over social media.
Even Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has also not missed an opportunity to corner the main opposition party in Punjab.
In a statement, he hit out at the AAP over their “shocking double standards” on the farmers’ protests, saying the party had completely exposed itself by shamelessly implementing the draconian Farm Laws in the midst of the crisis while pretending to be standing with the farmers.
“Even as AAP was claiming to be supporting the agitating farmers, the Arvind Kejriwal government in Delhi had brazenly executed the black laws through a gazette notification on November 23, 2020”, the Chief Minister pointed out, adding, “the party was clearly indulging in political games to further its electoral agenda”.
He said, “Quite clearly, AAP had been working behind the farmers’ backs all these days. I was shocked at the fact that even before the farmers had embarked on their ‘Delhi Chalo’ march, the Kejriwal government had actually issued the notification which would spell the death-knell for the `annadattas’ in the national capital”.
“Do they have no shame?” asked Captain Amarinder, slamming AAP for misleading the Kisan Unions by pretending to be supporting their cause while all this time, Kejriwal’s party was merely indulging in political theatrics.
“First they failed to pass any amendment laws in the Delhi Assembly to negate the central laws, as was done in Punjab. And now they have gone so far as to officially notify the agricultural legislations in Delhi, where AAP is in power. The party’s true intent and affiliation has been utterly exposed,” Captain Amarinder noted.
“Can’t you see that farmers from all agricultural states are marching to Delhi to fight the Farm Laws? Or is that you simply cannot see beyond your own petty political interests,” he asked AAP leaders.
Having a jibe on the AAP Punjab leaders, Congress MLA from Patti Harminder Singh Gill said, “The AAP government in Delhi has betrayed the farmers who are protesting against the farm bills and demanding these bills be revoked”.
“The AAP leaders from Punjab, who praise Kejriwal a lot, should leave Punjab and go to Delhi for politics”, he added.
The media has revealed the move and everyone is criticizing the AAP government, yet Kejriwal and other party leaders are silent over the issue.
