Published 18:27 IST, January 24th 2021
AAP claims 'Punjab CM was part of Central committee which decided on Farm ordinances'
AAP on Sunday claimed that the Punjab CM was part of a high-level committee that was discussing the farm ordinances in July 2019, amid farmers' protests
In a massive allegation against Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh, AAP on Sunday claimed that the Punjab CM was part of a high-level committee that was discussing the farm ordinances in July 2019. Sharing a clip of a farmer showing some documents, AAP quotes him saying that the Punjab CM along with his finance minister had attended a Modi cabinet meeting in August 2019 which discussed MSP provisions of the laws. Punjab govt has already passed three bills that nullify the Centre's three laws which remain suspended and the Punjab CM has offered state govt jobs to those farmers' kin who died while protesting.
AAP alleges Punjab CM knew of ordinances
"On 1 July 2019, a high-level Chief Ministerial committee was constituted by Niti Aayog for agriculture. In that committee, CMs of Haryana, Arunachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab were included - for this ordinance. Our Punjab CM Amarinder Singh, who is shedding crocodile tears with his MLAs for farmers had attended a Modi cabinet meeting on August 16, 2019 along with his finance minister - Manpreet Singh Badal for discussing MSP. Even Sukhbir Singh Badal and his wife were present at that meeting," said the farmer is AAP's video.
Lashing out at both Akali Dal and Congress, he added, "These two parties have enslaved the farmers since India's independence. Farmers, awaken. They are not well-wishers of farmers and are trying to fool us with crocodile tears. Capt Amarinder Sahab, you cannot escape - this has reached every small farmer via social media. No amount of protests will change this unless these two parties are thrown out."
Punjab govt passes 3 farm bills to counter Centre's 3 laws
In October, Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh passed three bills to negate the Centre's farm laws and a fourth bill based on 2017 Congress manifesto that promises to protect landholdings of up to 2.5 acres from attachment if farmers fail to pay off their debt. The three state bills, which await the President's nod, make MSP - a legal provision, procurement of foodgrains on MSP a statutory right of the farmers, seek punishment for sale/purchase below MSP, levy a fee on traders, or electronic trading and transaction platforms, for trade and commerce in a trade area outside APMC mandis and reintroduced state government's powers to impose stock limits under extraordinary circumstances. These bills have been called a farce by both Akali Dal and AAP as farmers continue to protest at Delhi borders for 61 days - demanding a repeal of the Centre's laws.
Updated 18:27 IST, January 24th 2021