AKALI DAL IN AGITATION MODE

Core-committee to meet on September 25 in Chandigarh to finalise a strategy, says senior leader Prem Singh Chandumajra

CHANDIGARH : Upping the stakes on its opposition to the farm legislations passed by the NDA government, SAD on Saturday hinted at its plan to adopt an agitation path in a bid to take a high political ground on the issue. “Since SAD is a party of farmers, we will struggle,” party chief Sukhbir Singh Badal told reporters in Delhi.

Harsimrat’s move historic: Badal senior

SAD patriarch Parkash Singh Badal on Saturday described the resignation of Harsimrat Kaur Badal from the Union Cabinet as “a bold and historic stand.”

CHANDIGARH : Upping the stakes on its opposition to the farm legislations passed by the NDA government, SAD on Saturday hinted at its plan to adopt an agitation path in a bid to take a high political ground on the issue.

SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Saturday said there can be no talks with the Centre until the bills are taken back. “Since Shiromani Akali Dal is a party of farmers, we will struggle. There can be no talks with the Centre till the bills are taken back,” Badal told reporters in New Delhi. The party has already distanced itself from the Modi cabinet with the resignation of Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal as Union minister for food processing industries.

Signalling party’s new strategy, Chandumajra said a detailed strategy is being chalked out on launching protests and party’s core-committee is likely to meet on September 25 in Chandigarh to take a call. He said the SAD will come out with a long-term programme to oppose the agriculture bills. “We will not sit quiet. We have always raised the voice of the farmers and ‘khet mazdoor’ and will continue to do so as per the rich and glorious traditions of the party,” he said.

As per a senior SAD leader at the helm of affairs, the party is planning to make the return of Harsimrat Kaur Badal and SAD chief Sukhbir Badal’s to Punjab on September 23 a mega show. The husband-wife will pay obeisance at Golden Temple in Amritsar the same day and thereafter go to Badal village in Muktsar. The district units and Youth Akali Dal workers have already been assigned the duties, the senior leader said.

Call for joint front

Addressing a virtual press conference here, Chandumajra appealed to all political parties to form “ek soch aur ek manch” on the issue, saying Punjab could not afford any division.

“All farmer organisations and political parties should support the SAD in its ‘sangharsh’ against the bills. A division in the past had led to the loss of the state’s river waters and its capital. We also could not convince the Centre to stop these bills as we all were fighting on our own. Congress MPs during discussion focused on criticising SAD and did not utter a word against the bills,” the former MP said.

Shiromani Akali Dal is a party of farmers, we will struggle. There can be no talks with the Centre till the bills are taken back. SUKHBIR SINGH BADAL,

SAD chief