Punjab govt to challenge farm laws in SC
Amarinder Singh accuses the Centre of ‘demolishing’ the MSP and mandi systems
Punjab, where angry farmers are protesting against the three farm bills enacted by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), will challenge the legislation in the Supreme Court, chief minister Amarinder Singh said on Monday, accusing the federal government of trying to dismantle the farming system as it exists now.
“Our lawyers are coming from Delhi tomorrow (on Tuesday). We will discuss how to proceed in the matter and then challenge the legislation in the Supreme Court,” Singh said in Khatkar Kalan, where he staged a sit-in protest against the laws.
Khatkar Kalan is the village of Shaheed Bhagat Singh and Monday marked the freedom fighter’s birth anniversary.
Farmers, especially in Punjab and Haryana, have been protesting against the legislation, which the government says will enable them to sell their produce in any market of their choice rather than limit them to government-run mandis called agricultural produce marketing committees, or APMCs. The protestors say the Centre’s farm reforms could pave the way for the dismantling of the minimum support price system, leaving them at the “mercy” of big companies.
“The BJP has snatched away the constitutional powers of one state after the other. How do we run the state?,” Singh said.
Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh on Monday said his government would approach the Supreme Court over the issue of new farm laws.
Talking to reporters here, he also suggested that Pakistan’s spy agency ISI will use farmers’ unrest over the new farm laws and will try to foment trouble in the border state of Punjab.
Amarinder Singh, along with AICC general secretary and Punjab Affairs in-charge Harish Rawat, Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar and others, paid tributes to Shaheed Bhagat Singh on his 113th birth anniversary at Khatkar Kalan village in SBS Nagar district.
Amarinder Singh, Rawat and others held a sit-in protest here against the new farm laws.
Protests by farmers against the three farm Bills have been ongoing since the past few days in Punjab, Haryana, along with other states in the country.
Addressing the gathering, the chief minister slammed the Centre for bringing the farm laws, saying they would “destroy” the farming community.
“I have said we will take this matter forward. The president has passed these bills and now we will take this matter to the Supreme Court,” Singh said.
Stating that his government would take every possible step to protect the interest of the farming community, he said two advocates from Delhi would be coming here on Tuesday and the matter would be discussed with them.
To another question, he said, “The ISI always looks to whom and where it can give guns, bombs and grenades. They have been following it since the beginning. During the last three and half years of our regime, we have arrested around 150 terrorists and seized around 700 weapons.”
“There has been peace in Punjab but when you try to take away someone’s food, then won’t he be angry. He becomes the target for ISI. That is why I am saying whatever they have done is anti-national,” Singh added.
President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday gave assent to three contentious farm bills that have triggered protests by farmers, especially in Punjab.
According to a gazette notification, the president gave assent to three bills -- the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020.
Defending farmers for holding protests over the farm laws, the CM said they had the right to do so as “you are taking away their livelihood”. He accused the central government of snatching the rights of states.
“Now you have taken away (right over) the farm sector. Which thing will you leave with states? Will you leave it or not? You have taken away everything (from states). How will we run our states?” he added.
Talking to the media later, the CM expressed hope that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi would join protests against the new farm laws.
“We are going to request him to join us. Daily he is tweeting and making statements, saying whatever they (government) have done with farmers is a fraud. He will certainly join us,” he said.
Slamming the Shiromani Akali Dal, which has exited the NDA, the CM said, “Akali Dal is now in a total lose-lose situation. You will find they will lose all over. They will try to use some other tactic that is not going to work because once you have let people down, once you have told them what sort of people you are nobody will trust you again.”
Earlier addressing the gathering, former Uttarakhand chief minister Harish Rawat said the Congress would fight farmers’ battle.
He accused the BJP-led central government of “demolishing” the minimum support price, mandi system and PDS (public distribution system) with these farm laws.
“Their motive is to demolish everything which farmers have got after a long struggle. From the green and white revolution to till now, rights which farmers acquired, one by one all of them are being demolished with these farm laws,” Singh said.
“MSP and mandi system will be dismantled with these farm laws and their next target is FCI,” he said, claiming that they also want to demolish the Public Distribution System.
From the green and white revolution to till now, rights which farmers acquired, one by one all of them are being demolished with these farm laws
CAPT AMARINDER SINGH,