“Attacks on our existence will not be tolerated,” Navjot Singh Sidhu said. (Proceedings)
New Delhi:
Congressional Leader Navjot Singh Sidhu, who has been in hiding for a few months, today posted two tweets providing support for farmers protesting against agricultural bills that were passed by Lok Sabha on Thursday. “Attacks on our existence will not be tolerated,” said the leader of the Punjab Congress, backing the protests launched by farmers.
The agricultural bills that were approved by the center have been described as “anti-farmers” and have witnessed intense protests, mainly in Punjab and Haryana. On Thursday, the BJP’s oldest ally, Shiromani Akali Dal, removed its only minister from the government and said it would review ties on the issue.
“Governments have been making this mistake forever. They had dust on their faces, but they kept cleaning the mirror,” Sidhu tweeted in Hindi.
This was followed by another tweet on Gurmukhi, which read: “Agriculture is the soul of Punjab, wounds of the body can heal, but an attack on our spirit, our existence will not be tolerated. The trumpet of war says Inqilab Zindabad, Punjab , Punjabiyat and every Punjabi stands with the farmers. “
ਕਿਸਾਨੀ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਦੀ ਰੂਹ,
ਸਰੀਰ ਦੇ ਘਾਓ ਭਰ ਜਾਂਦੇ ਹਨ,
ਪਰ ਆਤਮਾ ‘ਤੇ ਵਾਰ,
ਸਾਡੇ ਅਸਤਿਤਵ ਉੱਤੇ ਹਮਲਾ ਬਰਦਾਸ਼ਤ ਨਹੀਂ।
ਜੰਗ ਦੀ ਤੂਤੀ ਬੋਲਦੀ ਹੈ – ਇੰਕਲਾਬ ਜ਼ਿੰਦਾਬਾਦ,
ਪੰਜਾਬ, ਪੰਜਾਬੀਅਤ ਤੇ ਹਰ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਕਿਸਾਨਾਂ ਦੇ ਨਾਲ।
2/2 pic.twitter.com/7QPDmFbEC0– Navjot Singh Sidhu (@sherryontopp) September 18, 2020
Three bills: the Agreement on Price Guarantee and Agricultural Services for Farmers (Empowerment and Protection); the Draft Law on Trade in Agricultural Products and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation); and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, which were passed in the lower house amid protests and an opposition strike. The bills will be presented next in Rajya Sabha.
The government maintains that the proposed laws are intended to help small and marginal farmers, as their goal is to create an ecosystem where farmers and traders enjoy freedom of choice in relation to the sale and purchase of agricultural products.
Introducing the two bills for discussion in the House, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said they will lead to more investment in agriculture and help improve farmers’ incomes.
However, farmers in agriculture-dependent states fear losing their livelihoods. Sidhu’s party, Congress, which governs Punjab, has called the bills “anti-farmers” and argued that the “brutal” bills will destroy the livelihood of the farming community.
The bills also led to the departure of the BJP’s oldest ally from the Union Cabinet.
“I have resigned from the Union Cabinet in protest against anti-farmer ordinances and laws. Proud to support farmers like his daughter and sister,” Harsimrat Kaur Badal said in a tweet against what he called “anti-farmer ordinances and legislation. “.
The resignation came shortly after Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal opposed the agricultural sector bills in Parliament.
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