The protesting farmers have called for a national closure on Tuesday (Archive)
New Delhi:
The bitter exchange between political actors in Punjab over the farmers’ protest continued unabated on Friday, with Prime Minister Amarinder Singh attacking former Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal of Shiromani Akali Dal over controversial recently passed agricultural laws. In the center. “Is she illiterate that she can’t read?” Singh said in a statement, noting that Badal, who resigned when outrage against the laws mounted, was part of the union cabinet when they were passed.
Singh also attacked SAD chairman Parkash Singh Badal. “All his life, Parkash Singh Badal has claimed that he represents the interests of farmers. So why did his party support the central ordinances after initially opposing them, and then he turned around and began to publicly criticize the legislation?” he said.
“I don’t know why Prakash Singh Badal got the Padma Bhushan in the first place,” Singh joked.
Ms. Badal, in a counterattack, corrected the Chief Minister, saying that Mr. Badal had won the Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian award, not the third highest Padma Bhushan.
“Call me illiterate if it floats your boat, but it amuses me that despite being so ‘literate’ you don’t know the difference between Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan. Never mind! But call our peaceful protests Annadata a ‘national security threat’ is very embarrassing, “he tweeted.
Call me illiterate if it floats your boat @capt_amarinder, but it amuses me that despite being so ‘literate’ I do not know the difference between #PadmaBhushan Y #PadmaVibhushan.Does not matter! But calling our Annadata, who protests peacefully, a “threat to national security” is very embarrassing.
– Harsimrat Kaur Badal (@HarsimratBadal_) December 4, 2020
Singh met with Union Minister Amit Shah on Thursday. Referring to the thousands of Punjab farmers camping in and around Delhi with their demand to repeal the laws, Singh said he told the minister that the protests affect the security of the nation.
Punjab’s Chief Minister also attacked Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal today for “misrepresenting his statement on national security.” He said it was clearly made in reference to Pakistan and as Punjab’s interior minister, it was his duty to inform the Union interior minister of the dangers of prolonged unrest.
“Kejriwal nu jhooth bolan di aadat hai, aur Khattar nu kuttan di (Kejriwal has a habit of lying and Khattar of hitting), “he said.
Earlier this week, Kejriwal confronted Captain Singh, saying that he has joined the BJP and is upset that the AAP government has not turned the city’s nine stadiums into open prisons.
Farmers protesting on the outskirts of Delhi against the Center’s new farm laws called for a nationwide lockdown on Tuesday. This was after several rounds of talks with the Center failed to break the deadlock.
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