Akali Dal’s U-turn on farm ordinances a gimmick: CM
CHANDIGARH : Dubbing Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal’s sudden U-turn on farm ordinances as a cheap gimmick to hoodwink the farming community, chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Sunday challenged him to quit the BJPled central government to prove his party’s sincerity.
Pointing out that as a member of the ruling alliance at the Centre, the SAD was party to the ordinances and had supported unconditionally, the CM slammed Sukhbir over his party’s brazen double standards on the issue and asked if the Akali leader was ready to vote against the ordinances in Parliament as and when the central government puts them to vote.
The CM termed total hogwash the SAD’s so-called appeal to the Union government not to present the three central agricultural ordinances for approval in Parliament until all reservations expressed by farmer organisations were addressed.
The double standards of the Akalis have become a rule rather than the exception, said the CM, pointing to SAD’s stance on CAA/ NCR, among other major issues concerning the state. “What were they doing when the ordinances were being brought in? Why did they not object? After all, they are part of the central government responsible for these ordinances?” he asked.
Amarinder trashed as completely fraudulent Sukhbir’s statement that the SAD would hold talks in the coming days with “like-minded parties” on the issue. “The like-minded parties, including the Congress, had rejected outright the ordinances in June during the all-party meeting. What were they doing then? Why did they not support our stand then?” he asked.
The CM also ridiculed the SAD’s decision on sending a delegation led by Sukhbir to meet the central government to discuss the concern of the farmers. The decision to approach the Centre had been taken by the allparty in June itself, he pointed out, questioning the Akalis’ belated move in this regard.
Akali leaders forced Sukhbir to backtrack: Jakhar
Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar on Sunday said that Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal was forced to backtrack on the three farm ordinances by senior leaders of his party who understood the political repercussions of the blunder.
Reacting to the SAD chief’s U-turn on the three agriculture marketing reforms ordinances promulgated by the Centre, Jakhar said that Sukhbir had gone unchallenged so far in his party, but senior Akali leaders who believed that these needed to be opposed had shown him the mirror. “The SAD president had gone overboard to please the BJP. However, senior leaders, though not many are left in the Akali Dal, realised that support to these anti-farmer ordinances could sink the party and forced him to do the U-turn. In my view, this sudden change in stance is the beginning of a challenge to his (Sukhbir’s) leadership in the Akali Dal,” he said.
{ BHAGWANT MANN } PUNJAB AAP CHIEF
Parliament session will test all Punjab MPs whether they stand with state and its farmers or against them