Chandigarh, June 16, 2020 (Yes Punjab News)
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal today asked chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh not to mislead Punjabis by indulging in farcical opposition to the Farming Produce Trade and Commerce Ordinance 2020 when his government had included its provisions in the State Agriculture Produce Markets Act (APMC) by amending it in 2017.
In a statement here, the SAD President asked the chief minister to tell Punjabis why his government had amended the APMC Act to allow creation of private markets, direct marketing, electronic agricultural marketing and single unified license for entire State in 2017.
“Not only this, the Congress government was party to the passing of the Farming Produce Trade and Commerce Ordinance 2020 as it not only participated in the consultative process but also gave feedback to the centre that it had already amended the State APMC Act to enable implementation of the proposed Ordinance”.
Mr Sukhbir Badal said the chief minister should explain under which logic he was demanding withdrawal of the ordinance when he had paved the way for making it a reality by amending the APMC Act and notified the same on August 14, 2017.
“As always Capt Amarinder Singh is again trying to deceive the farmers of Punjab. His statement demanding withdrawal of the Ordinance is nothing but a ploy to inflame sentiments and play politics over a sensitive matter which concerns the welfare of the farmers of the State”.
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The SAD President said instead of trying to divert attention from his own failures, the chief minister should take back the steep increase affected in the VAT on petrol and diesel if he was really worried about the welfare of farmers and the common man.
He said while a raise of Rs 2 had been affected on both petrol and diesel on May 6, the government had affected an increase of Rs 1.20 per liter in petrol and 0.53 paisa in diesel on June 15. “This has made fuel prices in Punjab among the highest in the country. Both hikes should be withdrawn immediately”.
Mr Badal said even on this issue the Congress and its President Sonia Gandhi was adopting double standards.
He said while the Congress President had written to the Prime Minister protesting against the hike in fuel prices, she seemed to have forgotten to tell her chief minister in Punjab not to profit from the misery of the people and not put an additional burden on farmers when they were struggling to transplant their paddy crop.
“If the Congress President is really serious about the issue and not playing to the gallery she should direct the Congress government in Punjab to withdraw the recent fuel hikes”.
Mr Badal also made it clear that msp and assured marketing of farmers produce would continue. “I would like to make it clear that the SAD will not allow any deviation from its principle of assured marketing and msp.
We have already ensured that there is no compromise on these issues. The new APMC Act provides adequate, inbuilt and foolproof guarantees for the continuation of msp and assured marketing regime on a long term basis.
We have ensured that this regime will continue in its present form, in addition to opening up new possibilities and creating new platform to increase competition for the farmers produce.
Punjabis can rest assured that the SAD will continue to follow a policy of zero tolerance of any step, decision or policy which hurts the interests of the Punjabis, the Sikhs and the farmers”, the SAD President added.
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