Will do everything possible to protect farmers: Punjab Congress chief

Ahe of a two-day special assembly session to counter Union government's farm laws, Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar on Sunday said Centre may "dismiss" Congress government if it wants but y will do everything possible to protect farmers' interests.

two special session of state assembly is beginning on Monday, in which state government is set to bring legislation against farm laws.

Chief Minister Amarinder Singh h a detailed meeting with Congress MLAs on Sunday afteron to discuss farm laws and heard ir views for assembly session.

Speaking to reporters after meeting, Jakhar said, "We discussed how to protect farmers from se black laws. MLAs gave ir suggestions." He said government is clear that it will do whatever it can to protect farmers' interests.

MLAs were of opinion that if Centre feels Punjab's action of countering new farm laws was t right, y can dismiss state government, Jakhar said.

“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. Senior Congress leer and MLA Raj Kumar Verka said Punjab will t accept “black laws”.

“ session will w be of two days inste of one-day duration. We are also bringing or bills for benefit of landless farmers during session,” Verka said. Punjab Minister Shu Singh Dharamsot said Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has always protected state's interests.

“During his first term as a chief minister, he h taken a bold decision to protect state's interests on water issues. w again, he is committed to protect farmers' interests,” minister said.

Earlier on October 14, a decision to convene special session of assembly was taken at a meeting of state cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh here.

chief minister h said that his government will fight “anti-federal and vicious” farm laws tooth and nail through legislative, legal and or routes. CM h said he would call a special session of assembly to bring in necessary amendments to state laws to negate “dangerous impact” of central legislations, which are designed to “ruin” farmers as well as state's agriculture and ecomy.

In last assembly session on August 28, a resolution was passed by a majority to reject three contentious farm ordinances, which later took shape of laws.

farmers in state have been holding protests demanding that three farm laws passed by Parliament recently be repealed.

y have expressed apprehension that new laws will pave a way for dismantling of minimum support price system, leaving m at "mercy" of big corporates.

Centre, however, has maintained that new laws will raise farmers' income, free m from clutches of middlemen and usher in new techlogy in farming.

three farm bills -- Farmer's Produce Tre and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020 -- were passed by Parliament last month. Subsequently, President Ram Nath Kovind gave his assent to bills.

(Photo Credit: Twitter/INCPunjab)