Farm laws drafted with consent of Akali Dal, says Amarinder Singh
Darpan News Desk IANS, 13 Sep, 2021 10:39 AM
Chandigarh, Sep 13 (IANS) Launching a scathing attack on the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) for double crossing the farmers over the issue of farm laws, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Monday said the farm laws were drafted with the consent of the Akali Dal with Harsimrat Kaur Badal as the Union Minister.
He said even former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal argued in favour of these laws but changed their tune completely when their move backfired.
Calling the Congress as the only party who protested against these 'black' laws from the very first day, the Chief Minister said his government called an all-party meeting and then held consultations with farm unions.
Afterwards, the state government convened a special session of the Vidhan Sabha and passed bills aimed at countering these farm laws.
Taking on the Union government, the Punjab Chief Minister said that the constitution has been amended 127 times since 1950. "So why not one more time to repeal the farm laws for providing succour to the farmers who have been sitting at Singhu and Tikri borders," said Amarinder Singh adding the state government has provided Rs 5 lakh to every farmer from the state who died during the agitation against farm laws, besides a job to the next of kin of deceased farmers.
The Chief Minister was addressing a gathering on the occasion of laying the foundation stone of the College of Agriculture of Punjab Agriculture University (PAU) at Ballowal Saunkhri in SBS Nagar district and kick-starting the session with admissions already made to 60 seats and classes set to begin from October 1.
Pointing out further, the Chief Minister said it would be the first time that a college of agriculture outside the PAU campus would come up with the BSc (Agriculture) course.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said the opening of this college will prove to be a milestone in the development of agriculture in the Kandi area and will be helpful in strengthening its research on the problems and crops of this region as well as agricultural services for region's farmers.
The college would boost the research on how to ensure more production with the judicious use of water resources as the lands are less and water is scarce in the region, added the Chief Minister.
Announcing a horticultural research station in Nawanshahr, Amarinder Singh emphasized apple research also as part of diversification. "The state government would now pay 90 per cent of the subsidy from earlier 60 per cent paid to the small farmers for erecting barbed wire fencing in order to protect their crops from animals," said the Chief Minister, adding five horticulture estates have been set up to guide the farmers and provide them the services for raising the fruits and vegetables.
As part of efforts to improve the market infrastructure, market intelligence services and processing facilities, two mega food parks have been set up as also an agricultural marketing innovations, research and intelligence centre to help production, marketing and planning keeping in view the national and international demand and prices.
The Chief Minister also handed over cheques under debt waiver scheme as a token gesture to 25 landless farmers and farm labourers out of the total 31,066 beneficiaries in the district. These beneficiaries have got the benefit to the tune of Rs 64.61 crore.
Ranjit Singh, a former follower of Ram Rahim, was shot dead by four assailants on July 10, 2002, in Kurukshetra after he allegedly "raised his voice" against the self-styled godman, who is currently lodged at the high-security Sunaria jail in Rohtak, 250 kms from state capital Chandigarh.
Bharatiya Janata Party chief J P Nadda on Tuesday asked the Congress national leadership to clarify their stand on whether they support the remarks on Kashmir and Pakistan made by party leaders in Punjab. Nadda said that the silence of the Congress leadership will be seen as being implicit to such objectionable remarks.
The farmers union leaders had earlier pointed out that Punjab had failed to hike sugarcane SAP in proportion to Haryana over this period, causing fiscal losses to them.
The Punjab Congress leaders who have distanced themselves from the so-called festering revolt in the party are: Kuldeep Vaid, Dalvir Singh Goldie, Santokh Singh, Angad Singh, Raja Warring and Gurkirat Singh Kotli, all MLAs, and Bhalaipur Ajit Singh Mofar, a former MLA.
Gurbachan Singh (55) was a relieved man after he welcomed his three sons at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport here. They were among the 78 Afghan- Indians who were evacuated from Kabul to Tajikistan on Monday and to Delhi on Tuesday afternoon.
Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters along with former Finance Minister P. Chidamabaram, Gandhi said: "The Prime Minister and the BJP said that the Congress had done nothing in last 70 years. There is a list here of all the assets that the Congress has helped build using the public money.
