SAD condemns centre for refusing to recognize 550 farmer deaths

(Harsimrat K Badal asks Agri minister Narendra S Tomar to apologise)

Chandigarh, July 24 – The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today condemned the NDA government for refusing to recognize the human tragedy which was unfolding on the borders of Delhi by feigning ignorance of the fact that more than 550 farmers had been martyred in the peaceful protest against the three agricultural laws. It also demanded an apology from union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar on this issue.  Expressing shock at the statement of union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar that the union government did not have any record of the farmers who had died in the ongoing Kisan Andolan on the borders of Delhi, former union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal said “this anti-farmer attitude of the NDA government is responsible for the plight of the farmers who have not only been stonewalled for eight months, but even their dead are not being recognized. The SAD condemns this anti-human attitude and requests the agriculture minister to apologize to the farmers for this statement and assure the country that the ‘annadaata’ will not be humiliated in this manner again in parliament”.

Badal said the NDA government had also made it clear in parliament that it was functioning in a dictatorial manner and had not even cared to conduct any study to ascertain the apprehensions in the minds of farmers about the three farm laws. “Tomar’s assertion that no study has been conducted on this issue proves that this government is committed to fulfilling its pact with the corporations and will not even take any feedback from farmers on the three farm laws. This is against the very essence of democracy. The SAD demands that the government drop this intransigent attitude and take into account the objections of farmers. If the government does this it will automatically understand the need to repeal the three black laws and will not keep demanding that the farmers discuss the provisions of the three laws instead of demanding their repeal. The entire farming community stands united in its demand for repeal of the three laws and it is surprising that this sentiment has not been understood by the agriculture minister till now”,  Badal added.

The former union minister said Tomar had also admitted in parliament that the Kisan Andolan had not caused any loss to the government. “All the minister could claim was the inconvenience caused to the public due to road blockage”. She said this was the biggest certificate that the union government could give to the Andolan. “Tomar has proven through his statement that despite grave provocations, threats and intimidation, the Andolan has been completely peaceful”.

Badal also requested the agricultural minister not to stand on ego and repeal the three agricultural laws first and then call farmers for talks to frame laws which worked for their betterment and not against them.