Protests hurting our economy, lift dharnas in Punjab: Amarinder appeals to farmers
Capt Amarinder Singh says when entire Punjab stood in their favour, farmers should not hold protests in state as it went against its interests
Chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Monday appealed to the representatives of various farmer unions not to hold protests in Punjab against the three contentious agriculture laws passed by the Centre as they are adversely affecting the state’s economy.
After laying the foundation stone of government college at Mukhliana village in Chabbewal constituency which is to come up at ₹13.44 crore, the CM said when the entire state stood like a rock in their favour, the farmers should not hold protests in Punjab as it went against the interests of the state.
“The protests going on at 113 places in Punjab impacted its economic development. I hope my request would be accepted by the farmers. These laws have already been rejected in the assembly and replaced by the state government’s farm laws which were sent to the governor for his assent but unfortunately they were not forwarded to the President,” he said.
He said these laws had already been rejected in the state assembly and replaced by the state government’s farm laws which were sent to Governor for his accent but unfortunately these had not yet been forwarded to the President of India.
Amarinder said that a delegation of various farm leaders met him recently for hike in sugarcane price and it was promptly hiked from Rs. 325 to Rs. 360 per quintal. The Chief Minister also announced to name the upcoming college after the name of Dr. BR Ambedkar. The CM also announced that the entire development works Sri Guru Ravidas ji Memorial at Sri Khuralgarh Sahib would be completed positively before the coming Parkash Utsav of Guru ji.
Earlier, Amarinder accused Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) patriarch and former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and party president Sukhbir Singh Badal of playing a double game on the farm laws passed by the Narendra Modi government last year.
Addressing a function after laying the foundation stone of the first college of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) at Ballowal village in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district, Amarinder said the SAD, as an ally of the Narendra Modi-led NDA government, first endorsed the three farm ordinances but later did a U-turn under pressure from its rural constituency of farmers in Punjab.
“The ordinances were made in agreement of the SAD, as Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal was a part of the cabinet that passed the ordinances. Parkash Singh Badal had issued a video statement, endorsing the farm laws and advocating that there was nothing wrong in the new ordinances,” Amarinder said.
He handed over debt waiver certificates to farm labourers and landless farmers as a symbolic launch of the scheme in both Hoshiarpur and Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district.
Also, social distancing and other Covid-19 protocols were flouted during the functions at SBS Nagar and Hoshiarpur as the number of people was more than prescribed by the state government. People were not wearing masks as well.
PAU vice-chancellor Anirudh Tiwari said the admission process for the first college of PAU outside Ludhiana was completed and classes will begin by October. The batch comprises 60 students. He said the PAU regional research centre at Ballowal was conducting research in the field of apple cultivation in the Kandi area and varieties of oil seeds.