(Asks NDA govt to repeal the black laws first and then hold discussions with farmers)
Chandigarh, July 26 2021 Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal today appealed to all political parties to jointly demand the repeal of the three agricultural laws, saying any diversion from this agenda would give a reprieve to the NDA government which wanted to divert attention away from the Kisan Andolan.
The SAD-BSP mps including Mrs Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Mr Balwinder Singh Bhundur and Mr Naresh Gujral continued their protest outside parliament raising slogans of ‘kala kanoon wapis lo’ and ‘kisano ki mange puri karo’ and demanded the immediate repeal of the three black laws.
Speaking to newsmen, the SAD President said the SAD-BSP alliance had followed a pro-farmer agenda from the first day of the parliament session and would continue to raise this issue for the remainder of the session. “We are committed to ensure justice for farmers of Punjab and the country. We also appeal to other political parties to unite to ensure the cause of the annadaata is not weakened in any way”.
The SAD President also condemned attempts being made by the centre to paint the farmers in poor light by giving out an impression that it was ready to hold talks but the farmers were not coming forward. He said it was strange as to why the union government wanted any discussion on the farm laws when they had been outrightly rejected by the farmers of the country. “If the government is really concerned about the welfare of the farmers it should announce that the three agriculture laws were being repealed. This can be followed with discussions with farmers on other steps needed to improve the economic condition of farmers”. He said the government was however not ready to do this because it did not have any intention of repealing the three black laws.
Mr Badal also condemned the union government for showing utter insensitivity to the suffering of farmers by feigning ignorance about the human tragedy which was unfolding on the borders of Delhi. He said more than 550 farmers had lost their lives participating in the Kisan Andolan. “Instead of recognizing the sacrifice made by the martyrs of the Kisan Andolan, the government is questioning their very existence by stating it does not have any record of the deaths which have occurred during the farmer movement. This is not all. Farmers coming to the national capital to register their protest are being termed as hooligans and ‘mawalis’. India will not tolerate the persecution of farmers. The NDA government should understand this and make a course correction or be ready to face the wrath of the entire community”. Mr Badal added.