Chandigarh, February 2 - Taking serious note of the“substantial delay” by the Centre in resolving the crisis, Punjab’s politicalparties, on the call of Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, on Tuesdayurged the Government of India to redress the grievances of farmers, who haveshown exemplary resilience in their continued fight in the most democraticmanner, by immediately withdrawing the three Farm Laws.
Condemning the “sponsored violence in Delhi,” the meetingdecided that an all-party delegation will go to Delhi to meet Prime Ministerand raise the issue, along with other matters of concern on the farmers’agitation.
The all-party meeting, convened by the Chief Minister toevolve consensus on the issue, demanded an appropriate judicial inquiry toinvestigate the laxity and complicity of those responsible for maintainingpeace and order at the Red Fort. Representatives of all parties appreciated theaction and position taken by the Kissan Sangarsh Samiti of 40 Kissan Unions including32 Kissan Unions from Punjab.
The meeting, which was boycotted by the Bharatiya JanataParty, passed a resolution to this effect, even as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)walked out over their demand for deployment of Punjab police to protect thefarmers protesting at the Delhi borders, which the Chief Minister againrejected as unconstitutional.
“We talk about more federal powers for the states, then howcan we do this?” asked Captain Amarinder as AAP leaders brought up the issuetowards the end of the meeting. “What will you do if Himachal Pradesh andHaryana police come to Punjab,” quipped Captain Amarinder.
Even as Captain Amarinder remarked that “Your (AAP) chiefminister in Delhi can request the Union Home Minister to provide security there…we can’t do it as it’s not possible constitutionally,” AAP leaders walked outof the meeting. The Chief Minister, however, stressed the need to fight thebattle, which was led by Punjab but had not become a fight of the nation,Constitutionally.
Terming the agitation so far as “historic and unparalleled”,though some miscreants tried to sabotage it through untoward incidents at theRed Fort on Republic Day, the Resolution meanwhile said these acts “are trulycondemnable and need to be probed thoroughly.” However, these should not be thereason to victimize the agitating farmers, farm workers, and others includingthe media persons, said the Resolution, calling upon the Government of India“to take steps to ensure that the farmers and farm workers participating in theagitation are not victimized in any manner.”
Through the resolution, the Punjab parties urged the CentralGovernment “to withdraw all cases registered against the farmers, farmworkers,and journalists, and other peaceful agitators, and release all those detainedby the police or any other agencies.” The missing agitators should also betraced and restored to their respective families without any delay, they said.
Realising the urgent need to ensure socio-economic securityand safety of the farmers and farm workers who are apprehending threat to theirlivelihood as a result of these laws, the parties sought immediate resolutionof the crisis by the Government of India “through dialogue in keeping with theprinciples of cooperative federalism, respecting the constitutional role of theStates and the people as enshrined in the Constitution of India.” They assertedthat “we are determined to save and protect the interests of all farmers, farmlabourers and the State of Punjab.”
The resolution also called upon the Centre “to make theMinimum Support Price (MSP) a statutory right of the farmers, and continue withthe procurement of foodgrains by the Government of India through FCI and othersuch agencies as at present,” adding that “the procurement by Arthiyas may alsocontinue as earlier.”
Noting that, as a result of the undue delay by the centralgovernment in resolving the crisis, “not only the peaceful agitators and theirfamilies are suffering but several farmers and farm workers have lost theirlives causing irreparable damage to them and anguish amongst the people of thecountry,” the resolution demanded withdrawal of the new Environment Protection(Amendment) Act, 2020, while urging the Centre to drop the proposal to enactthe proposed new Electricity (Amendment) Act, 2020.
The resolution lauded Rakesh Tikait for his contribution tothe struggle, and also thanked Haryana farmers for their support to Punjab’sfarmers in the agitation.