The MLAs of the main opposition Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab staged a protest march against the Modi-led central government and the Channi government of Punjab over the deepening crisis of DAP fertilizer in the state. Before the commencement of the session, the AAP MLAs marched towards the Assembly; after holding a meeting led by Leader of Opposition Harpal Singh Cheema at the MLA Hostel in Sector 4 here. Among the AAP MLAs were Kultar Singh Sandhwan, Deputy Leader of Opposition Saravjit Kaur Manuke, Aman Arora, Meet Hayer, Principal Budh Ram, Kulwant Singh Pandori, Manjit Singh Bilaspur, Jai Singh Rodi and Amarjit Singh Sandoa.Holding placards and empty bags of DAP fertilizer against the Channi and the Modi government, while the AAP MLAs accused the Modi-led central government for step-motherly treatment against the farmers of Punjab; they termed Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi as the weakest Chief Minister ever, alleging that Channi had surrendered before the Modi government due to his chair and weakness.
Talking to the media, Harpal Singh Cheema said what the Channi government is doing, when the Union government is openly taking revenge on Punjab and its farmers. He said that the interests of Punjab and its farmers could not be protected by kneeling before the iniquity of the centre. That is why Punjab needs a strong and stable government, which only the Aam Aadmi Party can provide, he added.Speaking on the occasion, Kultar Singh Sandhwan and Aman Arora said that today the time for sowing of wheat is at its peak but the cooperative societies and private dealers of the state have so far received only 40-42 percent supply of DAP fertilizer. The AAP MLAs alleged that the Modi government at the centre was deliberately obstructing the supply of DAP fertilizer to Punjab to harass the farmers of Punjab, while in the neighboring states of Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh; the supply was being doubled-quadrupled as compared to Punjab.But despite such iniquity, the Channi government has been sitting on its hands, which is causing great resentment among the farmers of the state. Meanwhile, the police tried to stop the AAP MLAs at a barricade set up by the Chandigarh police at High Court Chowk; but the AAP MLAs managed to enter the Assembly complex with placards in their hands.
Why Channi government closing mandis prematurely, questions AAP
The AAP also raised the issue of suspension of government procurement from mandis by the Punjab government despite the remaining crop. Harpal Singh Cheema termed the decision to stop procurement from mandis of the state as a ‘Tughlaqi farman’. He said that 15-20 percent paddy was yet to arrive in the mandis; on what basis the state government was stopping the procurement whereas the central government had cleared the procurement till November 30.
Channi government adept at making announcements, not implementation: Harpal Cheema
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) alleged that there is a difference between the words and deeds of the Channi government. Responding to media queries, Harpal Singh Cheema said that the Channi government has only mastered the art of making announcements, but it is neither their (Congress) policy nor their intention to implement the announcements. Cheema asked the media persons that on the issue raised by the AAP in the all-party meeting, Charanjit Singh Channi had assured that this time all the media along with cameras would have access to the inside of the Assembly complex, had this happened; the media persons are still standing outside today.Similarly, Speaker Rana KP Singh had assured in the BAC meeting that the pending monsoon session would be convened in 15-20 days; had this happened? Similarly, the government also avoided the issue of live coverage of the proceedings of the session. This will be the case with all the big and small announcements being made by the government in view of elections, he said.
Sessions should run for 15 consecutive days to resolve public issues: AAP
During the Assembly session, the AAP MLAs demanded a regular session for at least 15 days for a permanent solution to the many issues concerning Punjab and its people. Harpal Singh Cheema said that how can the big issues of Punjab be solved with 2-4 minutes debate in commotion? He termed unemployment, farmers' loans, thousands of outsourcing workers, employees and pensioners, guest faculty teachers of government colleges, sacrilege, Behbal Kalan, drugs and various mafias as future issues of Punjab.