Chandigarh, July 16
Supporting the public whip issued by the farmers protesting against the black farm laws to the MPs, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab state president and MP from Sangrur, Bhagwant Mann on Friday wrote an open letter to the MPs of all the political parties, urging them to unite on the issue of the farmers and attack the Narendra Modi-led central government to take a firm decision regarding repeal of three black farm laws. In his letter, Bhagwant Mann stated that the farmers in Punjab and all over the country had been struggling against the black farm laws imposed by the Centre for the last one year; but still the Central government had not listened to their legitimate demands and shown any seriousness.
Mann stated that during this ongoing struggle, about 200 of the farmer comrades had lost their lives and now it was the time for the Union Government to take a firm decision and repeal the black farm laws as demanded by the farmers. “As the president of the Aam Aadmi Party, Punjab and Member of Parliament from the Lok Sabha as well as the son of a farmer; I urge you all to unite on the issue of the farmers and attack the Narendra Modi-led centre government, so that they take a firm decision,” he wrote in an open letter.
The AAP leader appealed to all the MPs to raise their voice against the black farm laws by staying inside Parliament, avoiding boycott or walkout in view of the appeal made by the farmers during this session. “Farmers are the backbone of our country and it is our responsibility as well as our religion to convey their voice to the rulers,” he wrote. Mann further stated that he had personally asked a number of questions regarding the farm laws, which he will put in the Lok Sabha with the permission of the Speaker during the monsoon session of Parliament, starting from July 19.
Mann urged all the political parties, including the Trinamool Congress and the Samajwadi Party, which were raising the voice of the people, to rise above politics and take the issue of farmers seriously. “I also assure the farmer leaders that as a representative of the people, I will meet MPs from different parties to raise the voice of the farmers,” he stated. Mann said that the Aam Aadmi Party has been raising the voice of the farmers from the very beginning and the issues of the farmers would be raised loudly during the session of Parliament.
