Farmers Movement Archive

Central govt’s ‘sinister’ design to end MSP, food security, PDS to continue: Navjot Sidhu

Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu on Sunday said that the Centre’s “sinister” plan to end the minimum support price (MSP) regime, food security for the poor and government procurement and public distribution system (PDS) will continue even after the rollback of the three “black” farm laws. He also said there was no word from the central government on a law to guarantee assured price for crops. Earlier, Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi had also sought a statutory guarantee for the MSP, stating that they did not trust the central government. The Congress leader’s attack on the Centre came two days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the repeal of the three laws that triggered the stir by farmers from Punjab, Haryana and West Uttar Pradesh. The protesting farmers have been camping at Delhi’s borders for the past one year for repeal of the three laws. Sidhu also said, “Today, as we rejoice in our victory against the Centre’s three black Laws...Our real work has just begun. The Centre’s sinister plan to end MSP, end food security for the poor, end govt procurement and end PDS will continue without the farm laws. It will be now hidden and more dangerous”. In another tweet, he alleged that the Centre’s design to give procurement, storage and retail to private capital was still ongoing. “No word by Centre for MSP legalisation, we are back to June 2020, Small farmers need Punjab Govt’s support to protect them from Corporate take over - Punjab Model is the only way (sic.),” he said. Meanwhile, cabinet minister Pargat Singh hit out at former chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh for lauding the Centre’s decision to roll back the three laws. “Capt Amarinder, a BJP proxy in Punjab as CM, has shown his true colours. The three laws were abolished due to the indomitable will, sacrifice and grit of lakhs of farmers, 700 of whom lost their lives. The ‘maharaja’ instead is paying tribute to his bosses,” he tweeted.

Hindustan Times

22-11-2021

Chandigarh