Farmers Movement Archive

Act swiftly against farmers’ killing in UP: SAD core committee to Centre

The core committee of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Tuesday asked the Centre to expedite action against the killing of farmers at Lakhimpur Kheri on Sunday, and also appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to withdraw the three agriculture laws at the earliest. In a meeting of the party’s highest decision-making body, presided over by SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal, it was resolved that to contain unrest and ensure no more lives are lost, the farm laws should be repealed. Expressing shock over no concrete action being initiated against those responsible for the brutal murders, the committee demanded a judicial probe into the incident and inflammatory speeches by Union minister of state for home affairs Ajay Mishra. It also condemned the Uttar Pradesh government for stopping the party delegation, led by Prem Singh Chandumajra, from proceeding towards Lakhimpur Kheri. AAP govt interfering in Sikh matters The core committee took strong notice of the interference by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi in the internal affairs of the Sikh community. “AAP government is preventing the constitution of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) on one or the other ground, despite the fact that the SAD won the election with clear majority,” said the party spokesperson. “It was shocking that how on flimsy grounds the co-option of Manjinder Singh Sirsa as an SGPC nominee in the DSGMC was stopped,” said Sukhbir, adding that Sirsa’s nomination claim was genuine and it was also certified that he was well-conversant with Punjabi language, but it was made an excuse to reject his nomination. Ex-Milkfed chairman joins SADFormer Milkfed chairman and Congress leader Capt Harminder Singh joined the SAD on Tuesday. Inducting him into the party, Sukhbir also announced him as the party candidate from the Sultanpur Lodhi seat in 2022 Assembly polls. Before joining the SAD, Capt Singh remained with the Congress party for at least 20 years and was president of the rural unit of Jalandhar district. Addressing the media, Sukhbir said Capt Singh had emerged as the consensus candidate of the party from Sultanpur Lodhi. Hailing the work done by former finance minister Upinderjit Kaur, who represented the party from Sultanpur Lodhi in the 2017 elections, Sukhbir said the veteran leader had informed him six months back that she will not be contesting the 2022 elections. Therefore, the party had decided to field Capt Singh from the constituency.

Hindustan Times

06-10-2021

Chandigarh