CHANDIGARH: Punjab Rural Development and Panchayat Minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa has asked Shiromani Akali Dal President Sukhbir Singh Badal to make it clear to the people of the state that ordinances brought in the name of agrarian reforms are pro-farmers or anti-farmers. He also asked Sukhbir Badal to make it clear that his party would support or oppose these ordinances during the forthcoming Parliament session.
Bajwa in a press statement issued here today said that Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal was still misleading the people of Punjab on these anti-farmer ordinances by issuing baseless statements. He said that Mr. Sukhbir Badal was very well aware that these ordinances would be brought in the Parliament during this session and in the same format. Therefore, instead of pretending an appeal to the Central Government to introduce these ordinances only after allaying the fears of the farmers, Sukhbir Badal should decide whether his party would propose any amendment or oppose these ordinances or will Akali Dal as per their earlier stand saying these ordinances pro farmers, will support these ordinances.
The Panchayat Minister said that infact it was clear to Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal from day one that these ordinances were not only anti-farmers, but are also being introduced to rob the rights of the states. But in order to save his wife Harsimrat Kaur Badal's ministerial berth, he has been blatantly betraying the interests of the farmers and Punjab and has been propagating these ordinances as beneficial for the farmers. He said that in order to make his lie come true, Sukhbir Badal had even staked his father Parkash Singh Badal’s remaining reputation by making him issue statements in favor of the ordinances. He said that Sukhbir Badal does not have the guts of going beyond personal and family interests and fighting for the interests of Punjab and farmers.
The Panchayat Minister said that the people of Punjab should not be under any illusion as Akali Dal has stood by BJP in abolishing article 370, making Jammu and Kashmir a Union Territory by abolishing the status of a state and supporting anti-minority laws like the Citizens Amendment Act. Similarly, the Shiromani Akali Dal, would follow the BJP in the case of agriculture ordinances.