TAD News Desk, New Delhi: Amarinder Singh accused Modi-led Center government of treating Punjab in a step-motherly fashion, by opposing to restart railway services in the state in wake of farmer’s protests over agri-reforms, and thus has launched a sit-in campaign against the Modi government.
Punjab is facing severe problems such as complete blackout and power problems in absence of coal, delay and issues in fertilizer delivery in mid-rabi season, due to the stoppage of railway services.
Center has outwardly rejected all allegations made by the CM and has suggested talking to the farmers to stop this “political agitation” against the new agriculture laws.
I&B Minister, Prakash Javdekar told media reporters in Delhi, “The common farmers have come to the market to sell paddy and benefited from the increased minimum support price. There has been higher procurement of paddy this year. Farmers have expressed their belief in the new system.”
He further accused Mr Amarinder of spreading misleading propaganda to agitate farmers over farm-sector reforms.
Singh had launched, earlier a relay sit-in at Rajghat in tow, with congress MPs and MLAs. Later, he drove to Jantar Mantar where the protest was carried on by other MPs and MLAs of Congress.
Center is planning to choke the Punjab state by stopping services of goods trains rendering the state into a place with short-supply for almost everything, accused the protesting leaders. The primary needs of farmers during this rabi season i.e. fertilizers and, blackout in power plants due to shortage of coal has been the result of ill-intentioned government.
Amarinder Singh told about why he sought a meeting with the president of India, he said he wanted to discuss the food security issues of the state and not the three farm bills which are pending with the governor.
He further asked, “The Governor has no role to play in this, he should have sent the Bills to the President by now, he is a mere post-box in such matters, so why has he not forwarded the Bills till now.”
Center hasn’t paid the due GST to Punjab, it hasn’t received the constitutionally guaranteed 10crores and, the disaster relief fund has also stopped.
“We don’t have money, our coal stocks are over, how can we survive in this situation”, lamented Capt. Amarinder Singh.
Source – Deccan Herald
