Amarinder Singh has openly criticized the three controversial agricultural laws.
Chandigarh, Punjab:
Punjab’s chief minister, Captain Amarinder Singh, will hold a sit-in today against the three controversial agricultural laws, which have sparked protests across the country. President Ram Nath Kovind signed the three bills on Sunday, nearly a week after unprecedented drama in parliament, despite requests from various opposition leaders to send them back for discussion.
The Chief Minister of Punjab will hold his protest in the ancestral village of freedom fighter Shaheed Bhagat Singh – Khatkar Kalan.
On Sunday, Captain Amarinder Singh said his government will see if Punjab can amend state laws to protect farmers from the consequences of the three controversial laws.
“We are already consulting with legal and agricultural experts, and with all those affected by the dire legislation of the central government, to decide the future course of action,” Amarinder Singh said in a statement.
Chief Minister @capt_amarinder Singh calls the presidential consent to Farm Bills unfortunate and distressing, says his government is exploring all options, including possible amendments to state law to protect the interests of farmers.
– CMO Punjab (@CMOPb) September 27, 2020
Punjab and several other states have witnessed fierce protests by farmers in the past week over all three bills: the Agricultural Products Trade and Trade (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill 2020, the Price Guarantee Agreement. and the Farmers Agricultural Services (Empowerment and Protection) Bill, 2020 and the Essential Commodities Bill (Amendment), which the president signed into law Sunday. Farmers have been blocking roads and train tracks to record their upheaval.
In Punjab, farmers are holding a Rail Roko (protest to block trains), which started last week.
Railways said the protests will affect the movement of essential items. “The disruption of rail services at this time will have a serious impact on cargo loading and passenger movement. It will affect the movement of essential goods,” Northern and North Central Railway general manager Rajiv Chaudhry told the PTI news agency last week.
Meanwhile, Amarinder Singh has openly criticized the three pieces of legislation, which the opposition has called “anti-farmer”.
Last week when BJP’s oldest ally Akali Dal of Punjab resigned from the ruling National Democratic Alliance, Amarinder Singh tweeted: “Clearly, @Akali_Dal_ had no choice after @ BJP4India exposed @Officeofssbadal and his SAD they were fully part of Anti-Farmer legislation. The end of the coalition is only the result of 3 months of deception … of defending the indefensible and disorienting the Punjab farmer. “
Clearly @Akali_Dal_ ran out of choice after @ BJP4India exposed that @Officeofssbadal and his SAD were fully part of the Anti-Farmer laws. The end of the coalition is only the result of 3 months of deception … of defending the indefensible and of deceiving the Punjab farmer.
– Captain Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) September 26, 2020
While critics say that farmers will lose bargaining power with the entry of private actors into the agricultural sector and will not get a minimum price support for their products, the government has said the new laws will help small and marginal farmers.
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