Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Sundayrejected as `misinterpretation’ the media statement quoting him on extension ofthe proposed suspension of the Farm Laws, saying it was mischievously taken outof context to give the wrong impression on his stance.
The message sought to be communicated from his interviewwas totally incorrect, as was evidentfrom the rest of his statement on the issue, said the Chief Minister, allayingthe apprehensions of some Kisan leaders that he was trying to interfere intheir agitation.
Even as he categorically ruled out any interference, oreven direct mediation unless sought by both sides, Captain Amarinder said hehad categorically stated in the said interview that “From what I understand isthat some of the farmers are agreeable to the laws being put on hold for 18months but may go up to 24 months.” He was also on record as stating in the sameinterview that an extended period for putting the laws on hold continued to bein active discussions (between the government and Kisan Unions), he added.
The Chief Minister said his statement was clearly inreference to the feedback/inputs received on the issue from certain FarmerUnions, which was taken out of context and presented as his personal suggestionfor a compromise. Instead of being put in the context of his full statement,this particular point (on 24 months’ suspension of the Farm Laws) was played upas a separate communication, he said, terming it as factually incorrect.
While he maintained that an early resolution was criticalto the safety of Punjab, which had witnessed a surge in smuggling of weaponsinto the state from across the border in the past 5-6 months, the ChiefMinister asserted that he, and his government, continues to stand with thefarmers on the issue. He pointed out that even in his speech submitted to NitiAayog for circulation at Saturday’s meeting had categorically underscored theneed for “urgent resolution” of the current agitation “to the satisfaction ofthe protesting farmers by addressing all their grievances.”
It is the farmers who have to decide what is in theirinterest and to what extent they are willing to compromise, if at all, on theirdemand for repeal of the Farm Laws, said the Chief Minister. He reiterated hisstand that the Central Government should not stand on prestige on the issue andshould be willing to revoke the legislations to find an effective, long-termsolution to the problem.
Captain Amarinder expressed surprise at Niti AayogVice-Chairman Rajiv Kumar’s claim that no one spoke about the farm laws in thesixth governing council meeting held yesterday. Though he could not personallyattend the virtual conference owing to ill-health, his speech, which wassubmitted to the Niti Aayog on Thursday, had clearly highlighted the issue.
Not only had he reiterated his government’s stand thatAgriculture is a State subject and law-making on it should be left to theStates in the true spirit of “cooperative federalism”, he had furtherunderscored, in black and white, the need to resolve the farmers’ issues onurgent basis, Captain Amarinder noted, categorically and unequivocallyrejecting the claim of the Niti Aayog VC as false and baseless.
The Chief Minister asserted that his, and hisgovernment’s, stand on the Farm Laws had been consistent all through, at everyforum, and the state amendment Bills, passed in the Vidhan Sabha, were anendorsement of the same. It was unfortunate that the Governor was sitting overthese Bills instead of forwarding them to the President for assent, he said.