Published 14:22 IST, October 24th 2020
CM Amarinder Singh accuses SAD of colluding with BJP to 'sabotage' fight against farm laws
Following SAD's change of mind on farm laws, Punjab CM Amarinder Singh attacked the party chief Sukhbir Singh Badal for 'brazen lies & petty political games'.
After Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) took an 'u-turn' and rejected Punjab government's bills which counter the Centre's farm laws, Punjab CM Amarinder Singh attacked the party and claimed that they are in cahoots with BJP. While speaking about the farm laws, he accused Sukhbir Singh Badal of 'brazen lies and petty political games'. Amarinder Singh further accused the SAD leader of 'compromising the interests of the farmers' and 'promoting the Centre's anti-farmer agenda'.
Taking to Twitter, the Punjab CM asked Sukhbir Singh Badal if he is okay as the party 'indulged in a whole lot of drama' in connection with the farm laws.
"Lack of moral scruples"
Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh criticised SAD for supporting 'Centre’s malicious Farm Ordinances' and then calling it anti-farmer and quitting NDA. He also called out the party for openly voting for the State government's amendment bills and then rejecting them. Amarinder Singh further accused SAD of forming an alliance with BJP and claimed that Harsimrat Kaur's resignation from the Union Cabinet and SAD's quitting NDA was just a farce to fool the 'farmers and sabotage their fight against the centre's farm laws'.
"In rejecting the State's amendment bills, which his party had backed in the Vidhan Sabha, Sukhbir had not just exposed his lack of moral scruples but had also echoed the recent statements of various Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders," CM Amarinder Singh said.
Amarinder Singh further added, "First you actively and wholeheartedly supported the Centre's malicious farm ordinances, then quit the NDA calling their bills anti-farmer, then indulged in a whole lot of political drama through protest rallies and yatras across the State in purported support of the farmers, then openly voted for the State government's amendment bills, and are now rejecting the same."
Questioning SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal and the party's political interest, the Punjab CM said, "After all this, do you really expect the farmers to believe in the sincerity of your trumped-up claims of caring about the farmers' interests?"
SAD chief accuses Amarinder Singh of 'fraud'
On Friday, SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal accused CM Amarinder Singh of 'fraud' while adding that he was trying to 'mislead' the people. He also alleged that the Punjab CM was colluding with the Centre and 'playing a hoax on farmers of Punjab'. He also accused Amarinder Singh of passing the farm bills in the State assembly while calling his conduct 'shameful'.
"It was shameful that even after Amarinder Singh's fraud had been discovered and it had been proved that he had colluded with the Centre simply to get the 'rail roko' agitation of the farmer organisations lifted, he was trying to mislead Punjabis by trying to shift the blame of his own failures on others," said the SAD Chief in an official release issued by the party.
Farm Laws
The Farm bills, which was passed by the Parliament, came into effect from September 27 onwards after receiving the assent of President Ram Nath Kovind. The three laws are - Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Service Act, 2020 and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. There have been country-wide protests against the farm laws since they were passed by the Parliament.
(With inputs from ANI)
Updated 14:22 IST, October 24th 2020