Amarinder Singh said the central government was trying to subvert the farmers’ protest.
Chandigarh:
Punjab’s chief minister Amarinder Singh lashed out at the center on Saturday, accusing it of trying to intimidate commission agents known as Arhityas who support farmers protesting against its new agricultural laws.
Captain Singh said that the income tax raids against some Punjab arhtiyas were an obvious pressure tactic to curb their democratic right and Freedom said that these oppressive actions will backfire against the ruling BJP. A total of 14 arhtiyas across Punjab have received notices from the IT department, his office said in a statement.
The Chief Minister said that it was evident that by failing to persuade, mislead and divide farmers into ending their protracted protest against the agricultural laws, the central government was now trying to weaken their fight by targeting the Arhtiyas, who have been supporting actively shaking. from day 1.
The tax raids were carried out at the facilities of several prominent Punjab Arthityas within just four days of issuing the notices, without waiting for responses to the notices, Captain Singh said, calling it a clear degradation of due process. legal.
“What is this but a clear case of vendetta policy on the part of the center, which is hell-bent on demolishing the farmers’ protest by hook or by crook?” asked the Chief Minister.
Even the Supreme Court had upheld the right of the people to protest peacefully, the Chief Minister said that the actions of the central government amounted to a serious violation of the instructions of the high court and the spirit of the constitution, which gave all citizens the right to raise your voice.
The Chief Minister said it was “regrettable” that instead of listening to the voice of farmers, who have been battling the cold and pandemic for more than three weeks and nearly two dozen lost their lives during the protest, the central government resorted to to all kinds of cheap maneuvers to break his will.
Farmers, mostly from Punjab, have camped on New Delhi’s borders since last month, demanding the repeal of reforms aimed at attracting investment in the antiquated agricultural sector, but which farmers say will leave them at the mercy of large corporations.
The government, which denies the accusation, has held at least five rounds of formal talks with farmers’ unions to break out of the stalemate, but protesters are adamant in their demand for a complete rollback of the laws.
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