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.
Another saffron party leader pointed out that the BJP has leaders with experience of contesting elections at national and state level or managing polls and there is nothing wrong in using their experience.
The farmers have been on agitation since August 20 by blocking the Delhi-Amritsar national highway near Jalandhar, along with the rail tracks, over their demand for raising the SAP of sugarcane. They have already rejected the hike of Rs 15 per quintal announced by the government last week.
Indian defence forces have employed the best equipment available in the country to locate the wreckage, which includes remotely operated underwater vehicles, handheld navigation system with sonar, side scanner sonar with echo sensor and portable transducer, divers propulsion vehicle, multi-beam sonar and submarine rescue unit of the India Navy, an official statement said.
The convicts are Shaik Showkath, 35, Mohd Khalid, 22, Mohd Afroz, 20, Abdul Salman Khan, 20, Shaik Salman, 22, and Mujahid Khan, 20. They are all residents of New Hafeezpet, Serilingampally Mandal, Ranga Reddy district.
A Northern Railway spokesperson said that due to farmers agitation in Ferozpur division of Punjab, it has cancelled 68 train including two Vande Bharat and Rajdhani each, four Shatabdi Express, one Duranto, and two Janshatabdi Express trains.
According to police, the robbers, coming out of the Amruth Gold and Silver shop after the crime, saw Chandru approach and opened fire at him, fearing he may try to apprehend them or alert the public. One of the bullets hit Chandru on the head and he died on the spot.
