Protests In Punjab Not In State's Interest, Says CM Amarinder Urging Farmers To Pressurise Centre In Delhi

Speaking on the issue of agrarian laws, Punjab CM Amarinder Singh also criticised the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) for allegedly double-crossing farmers. 

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New Delhi: Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Monday urged farmers to mount pressure on the Union government in Delhi to get agrarian laws repealed instead of agitating in Punjab.

The Punjab Chief Minster's appeal to farmers came in amid ongoing agitation at 113 places in the state, which Singh said was hampering the state's economic development.

"I want to tell farmer brothers that it is your Punjab, your villages, your people. You do whatever you want to do at Delhi (border), put pressure on them (Centre) and make them agree," CM Amarinder Singh said, as quoted by news agency PTI.

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"Do you know farmers are also sitting at 113 places in Punjab? What will be the gain out of it? Punjab will suffer financially. They are doing it at Delhi (borders) and in Haryana. You do it there," he told the farmers.

He further asserted that there is no use sitting at 113 places in Punjab and weakening its financial position.

The Chief Minister rued how farmers are still sitting at toll plazas and not allowing retail stores of some big corporates to operate. Addressing a gathering in Hoshiarpur after laying the foundation stone of a government college costing Rs 13.44 crore at Mukhliana village, he expressed hope that his request would be acceded to by the farmers.

Besides this, speaking on the issue of agrarian laws, Punjab CM Amarinder Singh also criticised the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Monday. 

He alleged that the party double-crossed the farmers over the issue of centre's contentious agrarian laws, claiming the laws were drafted with the consent of the Akali Dal with Harsimrat Kaur Badal as the Union Minister.

He went on to claim that former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had also argued in favour of these laws but SAD changed its tune completely when their move backfired, IANS reported.

The Chief Minister was addressing a gathering at an event for laying the foundation stone of the College of Agriculture of Punjab Agriculture University (PAU) at Ballowal Saunkhri in SBS Nagar district when he levelled accusation against SAD.

CM Amarinder said Congress was the only party that protested against these 'black' laws from the very first day. He recalled that his government called an all-party meeting and then held consultations with farm unions.

Highlighting the steps taken by his government in the interest of farmers, the Chief Minister handed over cheques under the debt waiver scheme as a token gesture to 25 landless farmers and farm labourers out of the total 31,066 beneficiaries in the district. 

As per the IANS report, these beneficiaries have got the benefit to the tune of Rs 64.61 crore.