Farmers Movement Archive

SAD left NDA for political compulsion: Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh

CHANDIGARH: Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh has termed the Akalis’ decision to quit the NDA as nothing more than a ‘desperate case of political compulsion’ for the Badals, who, he said, were effectively left with no other option after the BJP’s public criticism of the SAD stance on the farm bills. Citing his earlier statement, in which he had said NDA would throw the Akalis out if the latter did not leave themselves gracefully, Amarinder said there is no moral high ground involved in this decision of SAD. The Akalis had no choice after BJP made it clear that it held SAD responsible for not being able to convince the farmers about the positives of the agriculture bills. The SAD decision to quit NDA was just the culmination of their saga of lies and deception, which eventually led to their being cornered on the issue of bills, said the chief minister, adding that Sukhbir Singh Badal was virtually caught between the devil and the deep sea after his initial unprincipled stand on the legislations, followed by the sudden U-turn in the face of farmer protests. Amarinder said with the BJP-led ruling coalition at the Centre exposing the SAD’s web of lies, fabrications and double-speak, the Akalis could not have done anything but leave the NDA. But, their quitting the alliance would not help them save their faces, which they probably hope for, and the Akalis would find themselves in a bigger political mess now, having been left with no place either in Punjab or at the Centre, he added. He said if Sukhbir Singh Badal, Harsimrat Kaur Badal and other SAD leaders have any shame left, they should admit to their deceitful actions while part of the Union government and should be begging the farmers for forgiveness.

The Times of India

2020-09-27

Chandigarh