"The Punjab farmer is protesting against the three new agricultural laws brought in by the Centre, fearing 'loot' at the hands of the corporate houses. On the other hand, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has done nothing for the farmers. He is all for empowering the corporate culture in the state by giving important contracts, including power contract of Punjab". These views were shared with the media at the party headquarters here today by the state youth wing co-president of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAM) Anmol Gagan Mann, and Senior Leader of the party Jagtar Singh Sanghera.Anmol Gagan Mann said that the farmers were fighting against the black farm laws enacted by the Centre in the bitter cold nights on the Delhi-Haryana border. Mann said that the farmers were apprehensive that the laws, if implemented in the state, would deprive them of their land and livelihood leaving them at the mercy of corporate houses.The youth leader said that Punjab Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh, who pretends to be the biggest benefactor of the farmers, had adopted a wishy-washy stand on the farmers' agitation, saying that he had backstabbed the farmers, saying that he (Capt Amarinder) had been acting as a mediator of the corporate houses and the Centre, to derail the big fight of the farmers.The youth leader said that while the farmers of Punjab were preparing to march to Delhi on November 24 to fight for their rights, CM Captain Amarinder Singh handed over the contract of power supply of Punjab to Andani, which, she said, was the unkindest cut on the back of the people of Punjab, especially the farmers, adding that the move had brought to the fore the anti-farmer and anti-people face of Capt Amarinder.
Gagan Mann further said that the more shocking than surprising was the fact that the farmers, who were fighting to save their lands and livelihood from the corporate houses, were being rewarded by Captain by the electricity contract to Adani. She said that on one hand the farmers were boycotting the products of the corporate houses, on the other hand Capt. Amarinder Singh himself was helping them by giving electricity to a powerful corporate house, adding the CM should be ashamed of siding with the corporate houses and not holding hands of the farmers.Answering a media query on Sukhbir Badal's levelling allegations of registration of cases against the struggling farmers at the behest of the Delhi government, Mann said that Sukhbir Singh Badal was a non-serious politician not to be taken seriously, adding that before levelling allegation Badal should know that the Delhi Police was under direct control of the Central Government and not under the Kejriwal government. Mann said that SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal should apologize to Kejriwal for making a false allegation against him.Mann on the occasion said that the state finance minister had categorically said before assuming power in 2017 that Bathinda Thermal Plant would not be allowed to shut down, adding he had backtracked on his commitment made to the people. Similarly, Sukhbir Badal had lied to the people on reviving operations of the plant. She said they had taken turns in 'looting' Punjab and its people.On the occasion senior leader of the party Jagtar Singh Sanghera said that the ruling BJP leaders were indulging in a vilification campaign against the farmers and their agitation saying that the BJP had a long history of adopting oppressive measures against people when they protested democratically put pressure on the government for the acceptance of their demands, it either chose to give them a communal colour or termed them as traitors, by associating them with anti-national groups. He said that the people were now well aware of the BJP's communal maneuvers.