Farmers Movement Archive

CBI is being exploited for politics: Punjab CM Amarinder Singh

CHANDIGARH: Alleging that the central probe agency had a “poor track record” in the Bargari case, which it had closed without any investigation, Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday said his government would not allow the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into his state without permission. Pointing out that eight states, including Punjab, had withdrawn permission to the agency to enter without prior permission, he said the agency was being increasingly used to play politics, and a fair probe could not be ensured through the CBI. Dismissing BJP as a non-entity in Punjab’s political arena, Capt Amarinder told a TV channel that BJP was welcome to contest all 117 assembly seats in the state though the party would not be able to win a single seat without an alliance partner. The Congress had, in fact, no challenge in Punjab, with even the Akalis and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) posing no threat, he said, adding that neither of these parties had ever talked about anything positive in the interest of the state. With elections in the state still around 18 months away, it was not possible to say which issue would dominate the polls, said Amarinder, while expressing the hope that BJP will resolve the farmers’ grievances soon. He reiterated that the corporate houses were welcome to buy food grain in Punjab as long as they follow the existing marketing system, built on close ties between farmers and arhtiyas. He rejected the BJP charge of the Congress and other opposition parties were misguiding the farmers, pointing out that the entire Vidhan Sabha in Punjab had unanimously rejected the farm laws, though some parties had subsequently made a U-turn due to political compulsions. When the bills were brought in Parliament, the Centre should have consulted all stakeholders, including Punjab government, instead of passing them without discussion, said Capt Amarinder. Welcoming the ongoing joint Indian naval exercises with other countries, the CM said China and Pakistan would not succeed in their nefarious designs against India. Punjab wanted peace and development and would not allow Pakistan to foment trouble at any cost, he added. BOX: Dissent in Congress Terming the dissent in the Congress a sign of internal democracy in the party, the chief minister pointed out that those who had written a letter to the party high command had been included in key committees constituted by party chief Sonia Gandhi. SGPC polls On the issue of SGPC elections, the chief minister said he had been demanding those for long but the Akalis did not want polls to the body, which they had been using for their own political gains.

The Times of India

2020-11-22

Chandigarh