SAD to CM Amarinder: Declare Punjab as Principal Market Yard so Farm Bills don't apply

SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal called upon Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh to declare the entire state as a principal market yard so that the Farm Bills do not apply to Punjab. He further asked the Punjab CM to calls a cabinet meeting immediately and also asked the government to hold a State assembly session to approve the ordinance. Sukhbir Singh Badal made the statement while addressing a protest march against the recently passed Farm Bills. 

"I moved this proposal two days back. The Punjab govt should move quickly on this to save our farming community instead of shedding crocodile tears on farmers' issues. CM is guilty of amending State APMC Act as per his party’s poll manifesto & ratifying private mandis, contract farming & e-trading," said the SAD president. 

Sukhbir Singh Badal protests against Farm Bills 

The SAD president participated in a protest in Lambi village of Muktsar on Friday and also led a tractor rally from Badal village against the Farm Bills that were passed in the Parliament recently. Another protest was held by Shiromani Akali Dal to oppose the Farm Bills on Friday. Harsimrat Kaur Badal who quit the Modi cabinet recently also urged CM Capt Amarinder Singh to resign in a tweet while claiming that he 'backstabbed' the farmers. On September 24, she also said that she will be joining the farmers in their protest against the Farm Bills while calling it the 'Kala kanoon'.

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Punjab Farmers protest against the Farm Bills

The Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee extended the 'rail roko' agitation till September 29 to oppose the agriculture reform bills along with the 'Bharat Bandh'. Due to the protests, 13 pairs of trains were short terminated and the train routes to Punjab are being avoided as a precautionary measure. Several farm unions and political parties across the nation participated in the 'Bharat Bandh' on Friday. The protests against the Farm Bills are currently being led by the farmers of Punjab and Haryana but the farmers from other states like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, UP, Bihar, Odisha and several other states will be joining them in the bandh. 

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The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 were passed in the Parliament on Sunday. These agriculture reform bills were opposed by several parties including Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal in Bihar, Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab, the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

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(With inputs from ANI)