Will take fight on ‘anti-farmers’ ordinances to Centre: Punjab CM
Chandigarh: Accusing the Akalis of “selling Punjab’s interests” by agreeing to what he dubbed the “anti-farm ordinances” brought forth by the Centre, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday said that he would take his fight against these steps to the Union government.
Amarinder Singh said he would soon write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to seek an appointment for a meeting with an all-party delegation from all Punjab parties, except the BJP.
“No matter what (Akali Dal leader) Sukhbir Badal or the BJP say, once these ordinances are passed, the Centre’s next step would be to end the MSP regime and dismantle the Food Corporation of India,” warned the Chief Minister, pointing to the recommendations of the Shanta Kumar committee on the matter.
Underlining the need to save Punjab and protect its interests, the Chief Minister said the ordinances were 100 per cent against Punjab and anti-farmers, as agreed to by all political parties in the state, except the BJP and the Akalis.
Representatives of all the kisan unions whom he had recently met also wanted immediate scrapping of these ordinances, he added.
Responding to questions during Facebook Live edition of #AskCaptain, the Chief Minister said he welcomed central permission to his request for using helicopters to spray insecticides on crops to prevent locust attacks.
He said that an MI-17 chopper had been earmarked for spraying chemicals and the operation would start from Rajasthan soon.
On the Covid-19 situation, the Chief Minister said things were not looking good as new cases continued to rise across India, and even Punjab had touched the 6,000-mark, with 157 deaths reported so far in the state.
He stressed the the importance of taking all health precautions, including social distancing and wearing of masks.