Anil Vij decries Amarinder Singh's 'diktat' to farmers, claims 'Punjab CM sponsored stir'

BJP came out with all guns blazing against Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh for exhorting farmers to stop protesting against the farm laws in his state. Addressing a function in Hoshiarpur, Singh highlighted that the protests continuing at 113 sites in Punjab are having a detrimental economic impact. While mentioning that the state Assembly had enacted laws to negate the adverse impact of the agrarian legislation, he lamented that they were yet to be forwarded to President Ram Nath Kovind for his assent. 

Maintaining that the Punjab government has always supported farmers, he urged them to shift their stir to Haryana and Delhi in order to pressurise the Centre to repeal the farm laws. Coming down heavily on him, Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij remarked, "Punjab CM Amarinder Singh telling farmers to go to Delhi and Haryana and do whatever they want to do but not in Punjab is a very irresponsible statement. This implies that you want to disturb peace and tranquility in your neighbouring states Haryana and Delhi. This implies that Amarinder Singh has instigated farmers".

Moreover, Vij alleged that the farmers' agitation was sponsored by Amarinder Singh. While the Supreme Court has stayed the implementation of the farm laws, a committee appointed by the apex court submitted its report pertaining to the legislation in a sealed cover on March 19. So far, 6 states- Punjab, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, West Bengal and Delhi have passed a resolution in their respective assemblies demanding the withdrawal of the farm laws.

The impasse over the farm laws

The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020 aims at freeing the farmers from the constraints of the state Agriculture Produce Market Committees whereby they would be able to sell their produce anywhere. Meanwhile, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 protects and empowers farmers to engage with processors, wholesalers, large retailers, exporters for farm services. The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 specifies that the supply of foodstuffs including cereals, pulses, potatoes, edible oilseeds, and oils shall be regulated only under exceptional circumstances.

At present, the talks between the Union government and the farmers' unions over the three farm laws have come to a standstill. This is owing to the fact that farm associations refused to agree to the Centre's proposal for suspending the implementation of the aforesaid legislation for one and a half years. The divide between the two sides further exacerbated on January 26 after the farmers' tractor rally turned violent resulting in 510 Delhi police personnel getting injured and extensive damage to public property.