Punjab CM says 'will challenge Acts in SC', alleges 'farmers now easy targets of ISI'

Defending the 'tractor-burning' protest by Punjab Congress, CM Capt. Amarinder Singh, on Monday, said that why are people bothered 'if someone was burning his own tractor' while staging a dharna against the Farm Acts. Terming the Acts 'anti-national', he alleged that the farmers whose 'bread and butter has been snatched' will become easy targets of Pakistan's ISI.  On Sunday, President Ram Nath Kovind gave his assent to all three Farm Bills passed by the Parliament - Essential Commodities (Amendment) 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm services Act 2020 and the Farmers' produce trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act 2020.

Congress' tractor burning at India Gate condemned: 'What Andolan is this?' asks Javadekar

Punjab CM: 'Why should it bother someone?'

He also affirmed that he will be approaching the Supreme Court challenging the Act. affirming that agriculture is a state subject. Lashing out at Akali Dal, he pointed out that why did ex-Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal not speak up when the Ordinances were passed. Requesting all parties to set politics aside, he said that the Opposition must unitedly fight against these Acts.

Congress MP files 1st plea challenging Farm Acts in Supreme Court: 'Declare it void'

Congress workers burn tractor

As nationwide farmer protests continue, a tractor was set on fire near India Gate in Delhi on Monday morning by a crowd of alleged Congress supporters. With Punjab Youth Congress live-streaming the protest, 20 people set a tractor on fire while raising pro-Congress slogans. The police are trying to identify those involved. Union Minister Prakash Javadekar condemned the Congress saying, "What sort of Andolan is this?"

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Nationwide-wide protests rage on

Protests continue to surge across the nation against these Acts. In Punjab and Haryana, 31 farmer organisations under aegis of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) staged a Bharat Bandh, taking to the streets to block highways on September. Farmers have also extended their 'Rail Roko' till September 29 against the bills and squatted on tracks at many places in Punjab, with CM Amarinder Singh too taking to the streets to protest.  Similar protests are currently underway in Karnataka, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu with farmers demanding rollback of the bills.

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Prime Minister Modi has assured farmers that mandis and minimum sale price will remain, allaying the main concern of farmers and lashed out at the Opposition for 'spreading rumours'.  The Centre also increased the minimum support price of wheat by Rs 50 per quintal to Rs 1,975 per quintal, to allay farmers' fears. But several states like Punjab, Maharashtra, Telangana, West Bengal, Chhatisgarh have pledged to 'not implement these laws'.