Jalandhar, February 5
Condemning the efforts to defame Punjab because of the protest against the Centre’s contentious farm laws, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Sunil Jakhar today said attempts were underway to make it a disturbed state and alienate it.
He alleged as the farmers’ protest had witnessed a good response in the country, attempts were being made to divide the country by sidelining Punjab. He appealed to the people of the state to stay united against mischievous elements.
Slamming the statement of Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar in the Rajya Sabha today, Jakhar said the Contract Farming Act 2013 was brought out by the Akali-BJP government. He said this was the first such law that had the provision of penalising the farmers opting out of the contract and due to stiff protest, this law was not implemented.
He accused the Union government of putting the food security of the nation at stake just to please foreign companies. He said
the prices of wheat would rise exponentially if the food security of the country was compromised.
Calling the BJP’s “Tiranga yatra” a ‘danga yatra’, he said the Centre was simply inciting people in the name of this yatra. “Those who are organisng the yatra hardly have any names to recall from within the party other than those of Veer Savarkar or Deen Dyal Upadhaya who gave their lives for the nation. He appealed to the central government to restore democracy by respecting public sentiments on the issue of farm laws.
