Former Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Friday asked Punjab ChiefMinister Amarinder Singh to tell Punjabis how long would he wait beforeexercising legal options to ensure that the three agricultural Bills, passedunanimously in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha 80 days back to counter the ill-effectsof the Central farm laws, are forwarded to the President for assent by thestate Governor.
“Going by the current scenario, you seem to have even forgotten that youhad initiated the move to get the three Bills passed in the state Assembly inthe same manner in which a resolution rejecting the erstwhile farm Ordinanceswas also passed, but never forwarded them to the centre,” Harsimrat Badal toldthe Chief Minister in a statement.
She said the go slow policy adopted by the Chief Minister on pursuingthe three Bills, whose implementation would put Punjab out of the purview ofthe anti-Punjab and anti-farmer Central agricultural laws, clearly indicatesthat he is purposefully delaying action on the issue.
"The recent manner in which you have bent over backwards to pleasethe Central government and even registered attempt to murder cases againstPunjabis speaking out against Punjab BJP leaders gives credence to reports thatyou are being remote controlled by the Union Home Ministry for reasons bestknown to you," she said.
Asking the Chief Minister not to adopt double standards on this crucialissue which concerned the future of the peasantry of Punjab, Kaur said,"You should spell out what legal options you have taken since the last 80days to ensure justice is done to the farmers of Punjab in the case. If youhave done nothing, which is the case, you should explain why you have failedthe farmers of Punjab yet again."
The former Union minister also pointed out that the Chief Minister couldnot wait endlessly for the Governor, who was sitting on the Bills and notreferring them to the President, and still brazenly claim that the Central lawshad not been implemented in Punjab.
She said the truth of the matter is already there before the people."Your food and civil supplies minister admitted in a press conference thatoutsiders would be allowed to sell their produce in Punjab with theimplementation of the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation)Act, 2020 in the state.
"Yourgovernment also amended the APMC Act in 2017 which contains all the provisionsof the three Central farm laws. In such a situation, you need to come clean andtell Punjabis why you are not taking any concrete steps to get the three Billspassed by the Vidhan Sabha implemented," she added.