Farm laws: Punjab CM asks state MLAs to accompany him for meeting with President

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Thursday appealed to MLAs of all political parties to accompany him for a meeting with the President on November 4 to request him to give his assent to the farm bills passed by the state assembly.

A spokesperson of the Chief Minister's Office said Amarinder Singh has appealed to all state MLAs to stand up and rise above party lines in safeguarding the state's interests, which are being “trampled upon” by the Union government.

The spokesperson said the three farm laws recently enacted by the Centre will sound the “death knell” for the farming community of Punjab as well as the Mandi system and the minimum support price (MSP).

The chief minister, in a statement, said he is duty bound to protect interests of Punjab as the recent Bills passed by the Punjab Vidhan Sabha clearly exhibited. The Punjab Assembly this month had adopted a resolution rejecting the Centre's new farm laws and passed four bills to counter the contentious legislations.

The state government's legislative counter provides for imprisonment of not less than three years and fine for sale/purchase of wheat or paddy under a farming agreement below the MSP, exemption of farmers from attachment of land up to 2.5 acres and prevention of hoarding and black marketing of agricultural produce.

(Photo Credit: Twitter/capt_amarinder)