The Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Mondayconvened an emergency meeting of newly re-constituted Council of Ministers inview of the 'Bharat Bandh' call given by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha in protestagainst the three farm laws. The Council of Ministers passed a resolutionexpressing solidarity with the farmers and their demands.
Terming these laws as anti-farmers and anti-food security, Mr.Channi said these laws are a potent threat to the livelihood of farmers andtheir future generations. Making a firm resolve, the Chief Minister said thatthe earlier resolutions passed by the State Assembly in support of the statefarmers' demand to repeal these black laws should be conceded by the Governmentof India forthwith without any further delay.
Notably, the state government had earlier also categoricallyreiterated its commitment to the Resolutions passed by the Punjab Vidhan Sabhaon August 28, 2020 and October 20, 2020, emphasizing that all the genuinedemands of the farmers must be accepted and urging the Government of India to“repeal the Farm Laws as Agriculture is a State Subject under the Constitutionof India, and to make MSP a statutory right.” It welcomed the Supreme Courtorder staying the central legislations as acknowledgement of the concerns ofthe farmers of Punjab who are protesting against the Farm Laws, and recognitionof their pain and anguish. “There is need for broad-based dialogue and properconsultation with all stakeholders as these legislations impact the future ofmillions of farmers across the country, and all genuine demands of the farmersmust be accepted.
Expressing solidarity with the victim families of farmers whohave lost lives during the ongoing agitation against draconian farm laws, theChief Minister stressed on the need to win over their confidence as theCongress government has always stood firmly in support of their demands fromday one when the Government of India thrusted these anti-farmer laws upon them.He asked all the Ministers to personally visit the houses of the deceasedfarmers to deliver the appointment letters for government jobs to their familymembers. He said nearly 155 such appointment letters are ready and the sameshould be delivered to them within a week. He also asked the Chief Secretary toensure verification of other remaining such cases expeditiously so as tocomplete the process of giving government jobs to the eligible next of kin.
Taking cognizance of the widespreadresentment amongst the farmers for getting inadequate compensation in view oftheir land acquired by the various government agencies, Mr. Channi directed theChief Secretary to explore ways and means to rationalize the quantum ofcompensation to be awarded to the farmers to their satisfaction.