Aam Aadmi Party Lok Sabha Member of Parliament Shri Bhagwant Mann and AAP MLA Shri Jarnail Singh on Thursday launched a fresh attack against the Bharatiya Janata Party for bringing anti-farmer laws like Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020. Shri Mann said that after AAP and farmer protest, Akali Dal and Congress have taken U-turn on the MSP ordinance bills and this is our victory. He said that until some days back Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) was supporting these anti-farmer bills and today they are shedding crocodile tears. Shri Mann said that both Punjab CM Shri Captain Amarinder Singh and Punjab Finance Minister Shri Manpreet Singh Badal from Congress supported these bills in the preparatory stage. He said that these anti-farmer bills should have been stopped when these were in the preparatory stage only and Akali Dal Cabinet Minister Shrimati Harsimrat Kaur should have resigned on the day when these bills were tabled for Cabinet nod. Shri Jarnail Singh said that AAP will continue its protest inside and outside the Parliament, and apprise people that both SAD and Congress are anti-farmer.
In the last few days, we have seen how the Shiromani Akali Dal and its leaders have changed their stand: Jarnail Singh
"In the last few days we have seen how the Shiromani Akali Dal and its leaders have changed their stand. This happened after the farmers of the country announced that if any party supports the MSP ordinance bill then they would be considered as anti-farmer. But you should also remember that the high-powered committee which recommended and accepted these ordinances had Punjab Chief Minister as its members. The finance minister of Punjab and the chief minister of Punjab also supported these bills. The situation has completely exposed the Congress party and its hypocrisy. AAP will continue its protest inside the Parliament and on the streets," said Shri Jarnail Singh.
After the pressure from the AAP and the farmers of our country, the Shiromani Akali Dal suddenly changed its stand and took U-turn: Bhagwant Mann
Shri Bhagwant Mann, “From the past few months we are witnessing a very strange behaviour of the Shiromani Akali Dal. First When the discussion regarding this bill started then the Shiromani Akali Dal supported this bill. They met Union Minister Shri Narendra Singh Tomar and supported the bill. Shri Prakash Singh Badal issued a statement saying that this is a revolutionary bill. Shrimati Harsimrat Kaur said that the opposition is misleading the people and the reality is that this is a very good bill. But after the pressure from the Aam Aadmi Party and the farmers of our country, the Shiromani Akali Dal suddenly changed its stand. Shri Sukhbir Singh Badal took a u-turn in the Parliament and said that no one had asked the SAD about this bill.”
I would suggest the SAD to decide their proper political stand because everyone is contradicting with each other: Bhagwant Mann
He said, "Now suddenly Shri Sukhbir Singh Badal is saying that this bill will finish the MSP. Whereas, Shri Prakash Singh Badal earlier said that this bill will have no effect on the MSP. I would suggest the SAD to decide their proper political stand because everyone is contradicting each other. On the other hand, the SAD is saying that they voted against the bill but the reality is that it was passed by the voice vote in the Parliament where no one gets to know who supported a bill or opposed a bill. Now the SAD is saying that they are ready to sacrifice their one Cabinet post. It is unfortunate that after so many days, due to the pressure they are saying all these lies. If they had the real intention to oppose this bill and take a political stand then Shrimati Kaur should have resigned on the day when Cabinet gave nod to these ordinances."
Both Punjab CM and Punjab Finance Minister from Congress supported these bills in the preparatory stage: Bhagwant Mann
Shri Mann said, "On the other hand the Congress party is also confused about their stand. The high-power committee which recommended these bills had Punjab CM Shri Captain Amarinder Singh as a member. In one meeting Shri Captain Singh was present and in the other meeting, Finance Minister of Punjab Shri Manpreet Singh Badal was present. Now first the Congress supported these bills while these were at the preparation stage and after that, the Congress party opposed it. Now Shri Captain Singh is saying that they will go to the Court."
These U-turns by both the political parties are a victory of the AAP and farmers: Bhagwant Mann
He said, "Now all these stands are baseless and arbitrary because both these political parties should have opposed these bills when in the preparatory stage itself. Now there is no point of doing these dramas because the Center has the majority and they will pass these bills. The AAP and farmers have been very clear on our stand. We have clearly said that whoever will support these anti-farmer bills should not enter the villages of Punjab. These U-turns by both the political parties are a victory of the AAP and farmers."
Both Congress and SAD have betrayed the farmers: Bhagwant Mann
Shri Mann said, "Today also I will oppose these bills. If division voting takes place then it would be clear who is voting in favour and who is voting against these bills. But today also SAD will shed crocodile tears. On the other hand, if we look into the recommendations made by the Shri Montek Singh Ahluwalia committee set up by the Congress party we will see that those were also anti-farmer. All its recommendations were also pro-privatization. Shri Captain Singh said that he will waive off all the loans of the farmers which in reality never happened. These things show that both Congress and SAD are not pro-farmer at all."He said, "Lastly I want to say that whatever these parties do the BJP will pass these bills in Loksabha as they have the majority but in Rajya Sabha, if the opposition comes together then there might be a chance to stop these bills. AAP is protesting against these bills inside the Parliament and in Punjab also we are protesting on the roads against these bills."