CM should resign for compromising interests of the State by being hand in glove with the BJP – Sukhbir  Badal

(Says HC order quashing SIT formed on Kotkapura firing issue had made it clear that CM was using the case to implicate the Badal family)

(Says CM did not meet PM even once to protest against imposition of DBT scheme or against non-release of Rs 800 crore due to the State on account of RDF or against increase in fertilizer prices)

 Chandigarh, April 10 – Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal today said chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh should resign for compromising the interests of Punjab by being hand in glove with the BJP led central government in punishing the farmers of the State for protesting against the three Agricultural laws.

The SAD President who was addressing a press conference when queried also disclosed that the Punjab and Haryana high court order quashing the SIT formed by the Congress government in the Kotkapura police firing case had made it clear that the chief minister was not interested in finding the guilty but was using the case to implicate the Badal family. He said it was now clear that the SIT was formed to indulge in political vendetta. “What we have been maintaining since day one that the entire investigation is being done with malicious intent has been proved. Capt Amarinder Singh took a oath to take action against those responsible for sacrilege of Sri Guru Granth Sahib but has played with the sentiments of the people by indulging in a political investigation and has wasted four years in this process”.

Stating that the chief minister had sold off the interests of the State to the BJP Sukhbir Badal said “forget fighting for the rights of the State, Capt Amarinder does not even raise the issues affecting the people of the State with the central government”. He said the chief minister had time and again agreed with all the anti-farmer steps taken by the central government.

Asserting that the chief minister as afraid of the central government,  Badal said the Kisan Andolan would not have started if Capt Amarinder had taken prompt action when the Agricultural Ordinances were being framed. He said at that time the chief minister was part of the committee in which the Ordinances were discussed. “Later when an opportunity arose to repeal the three Agricultural Acts in the Punjab assembly the chief minister proposed amendments in the Acts instead of rejecting them altogether”.

 Badal said recently the chief minister indulged in a drama of opposing the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme which he had agreed in writing to implement from this year. “Capt Amarinder even assured farmers and ‘arhatiyas’ that the scheme would not be implemented in Punjab but the ministerial team led by finance minister Manpreet Badal meekly surrendered before the centre in its meeting with Food and Public Distribution minister Piyush Goyal”. He said the chief minister had similarly also surrendered before the centre on the issue of seeking rightful compensation of Rs 800 crore to the State on account of Rural Development Fund (RDF). “It is the State’s right to impose taxes and the chief minister should not allow the centre to infringe on the State’s powers in a federal set up”. He also castigated the chief minister for not opposing the increase in fertilizer prices, stating the latter’s unholy tie up with the BJP government was affecting the very livelihood of the farming community.

 Badal said it was a matter of record that the chief minister had not met the Prime Minister even once to get the problems of the farmers resolved. “Punjabis have been left to their plight. In such a situation Capt Amarinder has lost the moral right to continue in his chair. He should resign immediately”.

 Badal also appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hold a meeting with farmer organizations and resolve all their grievances including repealing the three Agricultural laws. “The PM has not sent a good signal to the farmers by taking anti-farmer measures including imposing DBT scheme on farmers despite the fact that they don’t want it and also giving the nod for increasing fertilizer prices by more than fifty per cent. Both measures should be withdrawn”.

He also demanded that the Congress government take appropriate measures for smooth procurement of wheat. He said the seizure of three truck loads of wheat brought from outside the State yesterday indicated that like during the last paddy season, Congress ministers would also bring cheap wheat from outside the State to be procured on msp here. “We will not allow such malpractices and will oppose them tooth and nail”, he added.

Senior leaders Janmeja Singh Sekhon, Sikander Singh Maluka and Dr Daljit Singh Cheema were also present on the occasion