Mansa/Bathinda/Chandigarh, October 28
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has appealed to Punjab’s farmers and laborers to not take any wrong step like committing suicide by falling into the realm of despair due to pink bollworm infestation, rain and hailstorm. He assured that if the present Channi government failed to provide adequate compensation as per the cost, the Aam Aadmi Party government would pay the due compensation to the farmers and farm laborers by April 30, 2022.
Arvind Kejriwal was meeting the farmers in Mansa on Thursday during the program ‘Kisanan nal Kejriwal di gal-baat’. He was accompanied by AAP Punjab president and MP Bhagwant Mann, party’s Punjab affairs in-charge Jarnail Singh, co-in-charge Raghav Chadha, Leader of Opposition Harpal Singh Cheema and Kisan Wing Punjab president Kultar Singh Sandhwan; while the stage was managed by MLA Prof Baljinder Kaur. The program was started by observing two-minute silence to pay homage to three women of village Kheeva Dialuwala (Mansa) who were martyred in an accident at Tikri border.
Arvind Kejriwal said, “After April 1, 2022, the farmers and laborers in Punjab will not be forced to commit suicide due to crop failure. This is my (Kejriwal’s) promise and Kejriwal does what he says. By April 30, 2022, crop loss compensation will be credited to the account of each affected farmer and laborer.” He said, “When a farmer commits suicide, I feel disheartened. Even after 70 years of independence, the farmers are forced to commit suicide, but other parties and leaders are not affected with it. If these leaders had such compassion, the country’s farmers, farm laborers and all agriculture-dependent businesses would not be facing such crises.”
He said that when the Aam Aadmi Party government was formed in Delhi, the crops of the farmers were also damaged. The AAP government had compensated the farmers more than their cost of expense of Rs 18,000, to Rs 20,000 per acre. In Punjab, the Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi had taken photographs with the farmers in the fields, which were also put on the buses; but the farmers have not received any compensation for the crops damaged by the pink bollworm or rain. Kejriwal said that ‘copying is easy’ but it is very ‘difficult to implement’. Therefore, the people of Punjab will not come in misleading maneuvers of the imitators; because the ‘original’ Kejriwal is standing in front of them.
The Delhi Chief Minister told the farmers of Punjab that the compensation would reach the accounts of all the affected farmers by April 30 immediately after the formation of the AAP government. Appropriate compensation will be given not only to the farmers, but also to the farm laborers. The amount of compensation will be discussed with the farmers first and the amount of compensation will be decided on the basis of cost. He said that Kejriwal not only announces but also works because he has shown it by providing good schools, education, hospitals and treatment in Delhi.
Kejriwal said, “The problems of adulterated milk, animal insurance and stubble will be solved. Stubble would be used for power, cardboard and agro-based industries and DAP fertilizer factories, which would also provide employment to the youth of Punjab. Agriculture and all related occupations will be made profitable.” He said the Aam Aadmi Party was formulating a special plan for the development of agriculture in Punjab, which would be announced by him (Kejriwal) next month.
Speaking on the occasion, AAP Punjab president and MP Bhagwant Mann said that Arvind Kejriwal’s program ‘Kisanan de naal Kejriwal di gal-baat’ was neither a political rally nor a show of political power. Mann said that this program was a serious attempt to gather suggestions on the crises and problems faced by the farmers and farm laborers and their solutions; on the basis of which the party will prepare its election manifesto.
Bhagwant Mann said that the difference between the AAP and other parties was that the leaders of conventional parties come only to speak their ‘Mann ki Baat’. However, the Aam Aadmi Party has come at your doorstep to listen to you (the people) so that the party can present its election manifesto and its policy programs to you; based on your problems and the solutions suggested for them, said Mann. “This is possible only if the Aam Aadmi Party Punjab is given a chance this time,” he added.
Earlier, Arvind Kejriwal reached Sangrur by train at 11 am and after that he reached the house of AAP Punjab president and MP Bhagwant Mann, where he was warmly welcomed by party leaders and volunteers. Kejriwal also held a special meeting with party MLAs at Bhagwant Mann’s residence.
