The head of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Jagat Prakash Nadda, has written a letter to Punjab’s Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh about the ongoing protests in the state against the farm last approved by Parliament. In the letter, Nadda has detained the Amarinder government over the situation in the case and claimed that it is doing nothing to control the protests.
“You and your party began to oppose these acts crossing all the limits of decency and decorum. You and your party openly encouraged the agitation against these acts in the state of Punjab, participated in dharnas and rallies and openly issued highly provocative statements encouraging the agitations against these acts, ”Nadda said in the letter.
“His government added fuel to the fire by openly declaring that it will not present any FIR against the agitators, even if they indulge in road dharnas, railroad blockades, etc.,” he added.
Farmers have been protesting against agricultural laws in Punjab since September 24, when they began blocking train tracks and stations demanding the repeal of the three agriculture-related bills.
The railways said on Wednesday they had suffered losses to the tune of 1.2 billion rupees as protests on the train tracks continued at 32 locations in Punjab.
According to data from the national carrier, more than 2,225 cargo rakes transporting vital products were unable to operate to date due to blockades caused by protesters. About 1,350 trains were forced to cancel or divert, he said.
Nadda lashed out at Singh for allowing these protests. “Captain Amarinder Singh Ji, as prime minister of the state, I would appreciate that no one can block roads, train tracks in any agitation and if there is any agitation, it should be in places other than roads, railways, railway stations. This has been reiterated by the Honorable Supreme Court in 2009, ”he said in the letter.
“However, it pains me to say that you, your party and your government in Punjab have shown little respect and consideration for the instructions of the Supreme Court and have openly encouraged the blocking of roads, railways and railway stations,” added the chief. of the BJP.
Farmers in Punjab have protested against all three agricultural laws: the Trade and Agricultural Products (Promotion and Facilitation) Act 2020; The Farmers Agreement (Empowerment and Protection) on Price Guarantee and Agricultural Services Law, 2020; The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020, stating that they would pave the way for the dismantling of the minimum support price system, leaving them at the “mercy” of large corporations.
But Nadda said that the BJP government in the Center respects the farmers. “Punjab farmers have always been a pride of the nation and it is for this reason that the central government gives the state the highest priority in MSP procurement,” said Nadda.
He also reminded Singh that his Congressional party had promised to enact such laws in its electoral manifesto.
The prime minister, meanwhile, was in Delhi on Wednesday where he organized a dharna (sit-in protest) against the Center’s new agricultural legislation and accused the BJP-led government of applying a “stepmother” treatment towards the state.
However, farmers’ corps in Punjab claimed that there were currently no railroad blockades and that the platforms would be vacated. They also criticized the Center for the energy crisis in the state.
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