Farmers Movement Archive

CM rubbishing minister’s statement only to defend his lies: SAD

Chandigarh: The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Wednesday said it did not behove chief minister Amarinder Singh to lie and try to rubbish a factual statement given by food and civil supplies minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu who had said that the Congress government had implemented one of the three farm laws by allowing outsiders to sell their produce in Punjab. Former minister and SAD spokesperson Dr Daljit Singh Cheema also questioned the chief minister for trying to bring the fourth estate into disrepute by terming media reports of his minister as well as Ludhiana MP Ravneet Bittu, admitting that the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020 had been implemented in Punjab, as mischievous. The SAD leader said it was strange that the chief minister had released a press note to rubbish factual coverage of the press conference of Ashu, but had not said one word to clarify whether the black law had been implemented in Punjab or not. “It is obvious that you know you are lying and don’t have any feet to stand on. That is why you have come out with a wishy washy statement in a desperate bid to befool the people after being exposed thoroughly,” he said. Dr Cheema said if the chief minister felt that the food and civil supplies minister had lied to the people, he should sack Ashu immediately. The SAD spokesperson said it was also a fact that the Congress government had not only implemented the black laws, but had also made amendments in the APMC Act in 2017 to implement the same provisions as contained in the three anti-farmer agricultural laws.

The Times of India

2021-01-07

Chandigarh