Will consult lawyers and move SC over farm Bills, Amarinder says at Khatkar Kalan

Deepkamal Kaur
Tribune News Service
Jalandhar, September 28

Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Monday said he would consult a team of lawyers on the contentious farm legislations that have lead to widespread protests in Punjab.

The chief minister also said that the government would be moving the Supreme Court on the issue.

Punjab Congress leaders, led by Singh, on Monday launched a sit-in agitation against the laws at Khatkar Kalan in Nawanshahr, the birthplace of Bhagat Singh.

Besides legal recourse, the Punjab government was looking at other options to scuttle the Centre's new agriculture laws "that are designed to ruin Punjab's farmers and economy", said the Chief Minister.

The Chief Minister sat on 'dharna' against the "draconian" laws after paying tributes to Bhagat Singh at his 'Samadhi Sthal' on his 113 birth anniversary.

The CM was accompanied by his wife and ex-minister Preneet Kaur, new Congress in-charge of Punjab affairs Harish Rawat, PPCC chief Sunil Jakhar, Vidhan Sabha Speaker Rana KP, Cabinet ministers, around 45 MLAs and six MPs. They all sat in the memorial complex right in front of the statue and sat on dharna for over an hour.

The CM said he will consult a team of lawyers on the farmers' legislation and would move the matter in the Supreme Court. He also said that he will invite Rahul Gandhi to Punjab to take the lead of the forthcoming campaign.

Among those conspicuously absent in the event were ex-minister Navjot Sidhu and area MP of Anandpur Sahib Manish Tewari.

Anandpur Sahib MP Manish Tewari has tweeted that he could not attend the sit-in protest in his constituency as one of his legal juniors had tested positive and he decided to recuse himself while informing his party seniors.

SAD leader and ex-MP PS Chandumajra also visited the site and paid obeisance at the memorial. He said that if the government would knock the doors of the Supreme Court, his party would support the state against the Centre. He also sought CM's intervention to make the entire campaign an all-party event.

Ex-minister Navjot Sidhu remained absent from the event.

Terming President Ram Nath Kovind's assent to the Farm Bills as "unfortunate and distressing", Amarinder Singh said his government is exploring all options, including possible amendments to the state laws, to protect the interests of the farmers. 

The Farmer's Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020 on Sunday received presidential assent. — with IANS