'All Cases For Stubble Burning & Farmers' Protest Will Be Quashed' Says CM Channi Ahead Of Punjab Elections

The ruling Congress party, which is facing conflicts within itself, has now said that the option of forming an alliance with a like-minded party in the state is open.

Charanjit Singh Channi (File Photo)

New Delhi: Ahead of the Assembly Elections in 2022, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi said that all cases lodged against farmers in connection with stubble burning and agitation against the Centre's three farm laws will be quashed. 

He chaired a high-level meeting with the representatives of 32 farm unions of Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) led by President BKU Balbir Singh Rajewal at Punjab Bhawan on Wednesday, reported ANI.

During the meeting, Channi said, "We want no farmer to burn stubble, we'll be strict. But cases lodged so far in connection with stubble burning, are being quashed. I request them to not burn stubble, it causes pollution. All cases lodged in connection with farmers' protests are being quashed". 

The Chief Minister has also announced to enhance the compensation amount from Rs 12,000 to Rs 17,000 per acre besides 10 per cent of the relief to the farm labourers involved in the picking of cotton who suffered huge losses due to the pink bollworm pest attack on cotton crops.

In a series of announcements, the Chief Minister said that 5.63 lakh farmers have already been benefitted from the loan waiver scheme to the tune of Rs 4610.84 crore.

Punjab Elections

With the Punjab Assembly Elections just a few months away, the ruling Congress party, which is facing conflicts within itself, has now said that the option of forming an alliance in the state is open with a like-minded party. However, Congress has not talked about any specific party yet.

Congress's Punjab in-charge Harish Chaudhary talked about forming an alliance without naming any specific party the elections. Harish Chaudhary said, "that at this time there is no talk about an alliance". Harish Chaudhary, however, indicated that the option of an alliance is open.

"The party can consider like-minded parties, which have the vision to take Punjab and Punjabiyat forward," he said.

Despite Charanjit Singh Channi being the CM, the face of the next CM of Congress is not decided. To a question about the chief minister's face in the election, Choudhary refrained from answering saying that for him every person in Punjab is the chief minister's face. Harish Chaudhary tried to avoid giving a clear answer in view of the conflict between Sidhu and Charanjit Channi.