Farmers Movement Archive

Farmer unions support Punjab CM on sending strong message against agri ordinances

Supporting chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh’s call to send a strong message to the Centre on the agricultural ordinances and the proposed amendments to the Electricity Amendment Act, farmer unions in Punjab on Wednesday passed a resolution urging the Narendra Modi-led government to reconsider and withdraw the statutes. Attending a video conference meeting convened by the CM, the union leaders said the ordinances and the proposed amendments are anti-farmer besides being a direct attack on the federal fabric of the country.The CM slammed the Centre for undermining the contribution of the farmers and the soldiers, pointing out that they had clearly forgotten ‘kisan’ in the ‘Jai Jawan Jai Kisan’ slogan that reverberated through the country when Punjab’s farmers made India self-sufficient in foodgrains. Amarinder added, “The Centre is trying to take away all powers from the states. We should raise a united voice to send a strong message to Delhi that we will not allow this to happen.”He said the state along with the farmer unions will fight the Centre’s move to ruin the agriculture sector even without the support of the Akalis whom he accused of adopting double standards. He would try to get the CMs of other states on board to put up a united fight against the Centre on the issue, Capt said. On a suggestion of state Congress president Sunil Jakhar, the CM said he would get the proposal of challenging the ordinances in court legally examined besides discussing the issue in the Vidhan Sabha. He warned against trusting the Union government on the issue of continuation of minimum support price (MSP). “It is our responsibility to save Punjab’s future,” he said.A government official spokesperson said the farmer unions demanded the resignation of Harsimrat Kaur Badal from the central cabinet, citing the Akalis’ failure to protect the state’s interests to further their own political ambitions.Bhupinder Singh Mann, national president of Bharti Kissan Union (Mann Group) said they are with the state government in the fight against the ordinances. Bharti Kissan Union (Lakhowal) general secretary Harinder Singh Lakhowal said the Centre could not be trusted on its promise to continue MSP and procurement.

Hindustan Times

01-07-2020

Chandigarh