Farmers Movement Archive

Amarinder scared of standing up to BJP-led Centre, says Sukhbir Badal on DBT row

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Thursday said Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh was afraid of standing up to the BJP-led central government and that was the reason he failed to take any concrete step to stop implementation of the direct benefit transfer (DBT) scheme for wheat procurement. Addressed a rally at Ajnala in Amritsar district, his first after recovering from the coronavirus infection, Sukhbir leader also accused Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal and party’s Punjab chief Bhagwant Mann of playing a double game on the three agricultural laws. “Kejriwal enacted a big drama of opposing the farm laws during the party’s recent meeting in Baghapurana even as his government was the first to implement the legislations in Delhi. Similarly, Bhagwant Mann gave his assent to the amended Essential Commodities Act in a meeting of the standing committee on food and consumer affairs,” he claimed. Later, talking to mediapersons, he said, “Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh is playing a fixed match with the Centre and it is clear from the fact that he had sought time to implement the DBT scheme instead of declining to execute it.”Also, he accused the Centre of teaming up with the AAP government in Delhi as well as the Sarna and GK groups to debar SAD from contesting the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) elections.Assuring the people that the SAD would continue to safeguard people’s interests, Sukhbir announced SAD would not allow implementation of the three farm laws in Punjab once it forms government in the state.Party leader Bikram Singh Majithia said, “The SAD is the only party which is committed to protect the interests of Panth and Punjab. The Congress is ruining the state under the supervision of Amarinder Singh.”The rally organised former MLA Amarpal Singh Bony whose father Rattan Singh Ajnala along with others had floated the Shiromani Akali Dal (Taksali) in 2019. Ajnala’s wife was also present in the rally.

Hindustan Times

02-04-2021

Chandigarh