Slamming Prime Minister Narendra Modi Union government for anti-farmers stance, the Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Wednesday unequivocally said that the state government will vehemently oppose any move of centre to once again pass anti-farmers draconian law through back door.
Interacting with the media here at his official residence, the Chief Minister said that from the last few months farmers agitation is going at Shambhu and Khanori borders. He said that during last January and February farmers groups had detailed parleys with the centre government in which the state government acted as a bridge. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the demands of the farmers are primarily concerned with the Union government and Punjab has no role to play in it.
However, the Chief Minister said that it is unfortunate that after forming the government at centre, the Modi led government has not bothered to show any concern about the farmers. He said that now the union government is trying to bring back the black laws through the back door. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that all the demands of the farmers are related to the Union government but unfortunately the Modi government is apathetic towards it.
The Chief Minister said that the fast by farmers leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal is going on but the union government is giving cold shoulder to it whereas the state government has deployed more than 50 Doctors to take care of the health of farmers leader. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that he had himself called Dallewal and urged him to end his fast but the Union government has not made any effort to assuage the sentiments of food growers. He said that the Union government wants Dallewal and farmers should be lifted from the protest site irrespective of the fact that they are not creating any law and order problem.
The Chief Minister said that he was surprised that the Union government is shying away from talking with the farmers and trying to put the onus on the state government. He said that instead of making any effort to redress the grievances of the farmers, the Union government is trying to fix the responsibility of the farmers. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that ironically rather than solving problems of farmers the Union government is again ready to implement the draconian laws.
The Chief Minister said that the state government will not support this move which is against the interests of Punjab and its farmers. He said that the state government is already implementing the orders of the Supreme Court to save precious lives of the farmers. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that it is a paradoxical situation that the issues of farmers are concerned with the centre, Haryana is using force on farmers and Punjab is being made accountable for that.
The Chief Minister urged the farmers leader Dallewal to end his fast as his life was too important for the country and food growers. He said that the Union government is not making any efforts to even initiate dialogue with the farmers despite the enormous contribution of farmers of Punjab. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the centre should shun his haughty and apathetic approach and open talks with all the stakeholders.
The Chief Minister said that the centre has failed to provide DAP fertilizers to the farmers and rice from the state have not yet been lifted. However, he said that instead of solving these problems, the union government is creating a rift in the state, especially between farmers and the government which is intolerable. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that his government is giving highest SAP to sugarcane cultivators, efforts are being made to lift the water level in the state and others adding that more efforts are being made to make agriculture a profitable venture.
The Chief Minister said that Punjab neither needs air ambulance nor extra force to tackle farmers agitation but centre should open dialogue with all the stakeholders especially with farmers. He said that hard earned peace of the state should be maintained by all means adding that the centre should not stoop too low just to take advantage in Delhi assembly polls. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the union government is running away from solving this issue by holding parleys with the farmers.
The Chief Minister said that he is daily flagging off this issue with the union government but they are not heeding to any demand of the farmers. He said that agriculture is a state subject but the union government is trying to thrust its decision on the state which is unjustified. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that it is a fact that the Modi government is habitual of using force to get its decision implemented adding that Modi has time to act as global leader but he doesn’t want to solve problems faced by the countrymen.
