'Sad, disappointing', says Sukhbir as farm Bills get President's nod

Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Bal on Sunday termed presidential assent to contentious farm legislations and Jammu and Kashmir Official Langus Bill as “s, disappointing and extremely unfortunate".

In a statement here, Bal said it was a “dark day for country” as President refused to act as nation's conscience”.

He said also claimed that only S was a farmers' party, t BJP or Congress.

“We were very hopeful that President will return se Bills to Parliament for reconsideration as demanded by S and some or opposition parties," he said, ding that his party will chalk out next course of action after due deliberations.

President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday gave assent to three contentious farm bills that have triggered protests, especially in Punjab and Haryana.

A S delegation led by Bal h met President, urging him t to give his assent to farm Bills and return m to Parliament for reconsideration.

S on Saturday quit National Democratic Alliance (NDA) over farm legislations and n-inclusion of Punjabi as official langu in Jammu and Kashmir Official Langus Bill.

Jammu and Kashmir Official Langus Bill, 2020, provides for inclusion of Kashmiri, Dogri and Hindi in list of official langus, in dition to Urdu and English.

S chief also lamented that before drafting farm legislations, his party was t consulted by government.

“re is only one party in country which is called party of farmers, poor and khet mazdoor (farm labour),” he claimed while dressing party workers at Rupnagar.

Neir Congress, r BJP can be called farmers’ parties, he claimed.

He said farm Bills, if implemented, will t only affect farmers but also farm workers and arhtiyas (commission nts).

S chief called upon all political parties and organisations to close ranks for a united fight.

“We are rey to join or follow any struggle in overall interest of farmers, farm labour, arhtiyas and or farm produce trers,” said Bal.

Bal said country needed to understand and empathise with farmers in view of “patic conditions” in which y are living.

“Anything like new farm legislations which increases uncertainty over fate of farmers' produce can have disastrous implications t only for ecomy but also for social stability in country,” he said.

“ farmers' ecomic plight affects entire ecomy. refore, what we are fighting for is to protect country's wider national interests,” he said.

Bal also dressed party workers at Hoshiarpur and Phagwara in order to mobilise people for a Kisan march on October 1.

He reiterated his party's firm commitment to preserving peace, communal harmony and fraternity in Punjab.