Chandigarh: As protests rock the Punjab and Haryana region over the new farm laws, Captain Amrinder Singh warned the central government of possible disruption to the peace in the state and threat to national security due to continued protests against the farm laws.
He said he was prepared to “resign or be dismissed rather than bow to injustice towards Punjab’s farmers”. Nobody can tolerate religious hurt and attack on livelihood. ..
“I am not afraid of resigning. I am not afraid of my government being dismissed. But I will not let the farmers suffer or be ruined,” the chief minister said on the second day of the special session of the Vidhan Sabha, adding that he had chosen to quit at the time of Operation Blue Star instead of “accepting or endorsing the assault on Sikh ethos”.
This is what had happened in the 80s and 90s. He further warned that both China and Pakistan would collude and try to take advantage of any disruption to the state’s peace, which would pose a serious threat to national security.
He also said if the farm laws are not revoked, angry youth would take to the streets and join the farmers, which would lead to chaos.
Moves Resolution against Farm laws
Stating that Agriculture is a state subject, Amarinder Singh moved the resolution against farm laws in the state assembly. He also introduced three bills in the assembly to counter the Centre’s farm laws.
The resolution was moved by the Leader of the House on the second day of a special assembly session here over the new farm laws.
The three bills introduced by Singh are — the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Special Provisions and Punjab Amendment Bill 2020, the Essential Commodities (Special Provisions and Punjab Amendment) Bill 2020, and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services (Special Provisions and Punjab Amendment) Bill 2020.
“In the name of Farming Laws, we have actually enacted Trade Laws. It is not farmers who will have access to a national market, but traders. Hence, the use of term “trade area” in the so-called Farmers legislations is also very telling,” said Amarinder while presenting the four Bills for consideration in the House.
Draft resolution states that Farm laws are against constitution (Entry 14 List-II), which mentions agriculture as a state subject & these legislations are a direct attack to encroach upon functions & powers of states,as enshrined in constitution: Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh https://t.co/atuye5goBo pic.twitter.com/3hjKUm8pdY
— ANI (@ANI) October 20, 2020
While reiterating his support to the agitating farmers, the CM also appealed to them to end the ‘Rail Roko’ agitation and blockades and allow movement of essential commodities.
“We have stood with you, now it is your turn to stand with us,” he said in an appeal to the farmers.
Also Read: Where do the Political Parties in Punjab stand on the Farm Bills?
Blaming the BJP squarely for sidelining Punjab’s agriculture, Amarinder alleged since other states have now started providing food grains to the country, the Centre has ignored the farmers of Punjab who fed the country for 70 years.
Pointing out that the state government had not been paid its promised GST, the CM questioned the Centre over failure to adhere to the constitutional guarantees.
Amarinder made it clear that his government would not allow the state’s farming community and agriculture, which were the back of its growth and development, to be ruined by the BJP through such devious methods. His government’s four Bills, said the chief minister, was aimed at preventing the damage that the central laws would cause to the state and its agriculture while allying the fears of farmers and consumers.
