SAD’S PROTEST A BID TO EXPLOIT SENTIMENTS OF FARMERS, SAYS AMARINDER

CHANDIGARH : Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Tuesday termed the Akalis’ decision to hold a state-wide ‘chakka jam’ on September 25 as yet another brazen attempt by the BJP ally to exploit the sentiments of the farmers, and perhaps even sabotage their fight.

“Why don’t you go to Delhi and hold a ‘chakka jam’ outside the houses of BJP leaders and others who have shamelessly sold off the interests of Punjab’s farmers to the big corporate houses for their own petty interests?” Amarinder questioned in a statement, daring the SAD to quit the Central government.

The CM lambasted SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal and his wife Harsimrat Kaur Badal for continuing to indulge in their “hypocritical pretence” of standing with the farmers in the face of a blatant attack on their livelihood. “Why did your core committee today not take a decision on quitting the BJP-led NDA coalition?” he asked.

Questioning the SAD announcement of holding ‘chakka jams’, Amarinder claimed that there is clearly some mala fide intent behind the party’s decision to jump, at this juncture, into the farmers’ preplanned agitation, and that the farmers will not be fooled by these antics.

The games the SAD, led by the Badals, is playing with the farmers for the past several months, beginning with the introduction of the vicious ordinances, have totally exposed their double standards on this issue of critical importance, he said.

Also, Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar said the Congress stands firmly behind the farmers. “Punjab Congress MPs and leaders are camping in Delhi, fighting the Centre’s despotic attempts to stifle their voices,” he said.