Punjab Cabinet authorises CM Amarinder Singh to take decision on farm laws

Ahe of a two-day special assembly session to counter Centre's farm laws, Punjab Cabinet on Sunday authorised Chief Minister Amarinder Singh to take any legislative or legal decision he may deem fit to protect farmers' interests.

decision came after a meeting of Congress Legislative Party (CLP) in which party MLAs unanimously stressed need to reject farm laws outright and t to implement se in state. Amarinder Singh too called for a frontal attack against legislations.

After MLAs' meeting, state Congress chief Sunil Jakhar said Centre may "dismiss" Congress government it it wants but y will do everything possible to protect farmers. According to an official statement, state Cabinet authorised CM "to take any legislative/legal decision he may deem fit to protect interests of farmers".

Cabinet decided that a strategy to counter “black farm laws” will be finalised ahe of special session beginning here on Monday. “This fight will go on. We will fight this till Supreme Court,” chief minister earlier said at Congress Legislative Party meeting.

Referring to demand raised by many farmers' unions for an immediate session of assembly, chief minister said this could t be done earlier as all legal implications h to be examined thoroughly before taking any step.

Amarinder Singh said views of MLAs would be taken into account while finalising strategy to battle farm laws, in consultation with legal and independent experts, including Congress leer and former Union minister P Chidambaram.

He said whole world was watching Punjab with a lot of expectation and views of MLAs were extremely important for drafting a comprehensive strategy to protect state's farmers and agriculture.

CM said contrary to what BJP and its leers h been claiming, Punjab was never consulted on farm legislations. Taking a dig at S, chief minister said Congress was t “double faced” and h a clear stand on issue.

He reiterated that Punjab was included in panel formed to discuss agriculture reforms only after he wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar told reporters that MLAs were of opinion that if Centre feels Punjab's action of countering new farm laws was t right, y can dismiss Congress government.

“If Narendra Modi government dismisses our government, y are free to do so. MLAs were of opinion, to which Chief Minister also agreed, that if Centre has to take such a step y can, but we will do whatever we can to protect interests of farmers,” he said. We are clear that we have to save farmers; we have to protect peace, harmony and brorhood, Jakhar said.

“If Centre thinks Punjab is coming in way of benefits y want to extend to big corporates through se farm laws and if y want to dismiss our government, y can,” Jakhar said.

MLAs too were unanimous in ir opinion that Centre's legislations should be totally rejected and state should make suitable amendments to provide for strict action, including imprisonment, for those who purchase wheat or pdy below minimum support price (MSP).

MSP and 'mandi' system h to be protected at all costs and “unconstitutional laws, which were against federalism, h to be countered effectively, y said according to statement.

While Punjab farmers have been demanding that three farm laws passed by Parliament recently be repealed, Centre has maintained that new laws will raise ir income, free m from clutches of middlemen and usher in new techlogy in farming.

(Photo Credit: Twitter/PunjabGovtIndia)