Had Harsimrat not signed farm laws, SAD wouldn't need to observe Sept 17 'black day': AAP

After Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) declared that it will be observing September 17 as a 'black day' to mark one year of the enactment of 3 farm laws, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said had Harsimrat Kaur Badal not signed the Centre’s farm ordinances, the SAD would not have needed to observe September 17 as “black day”. 

AAP on SAD's call for 'black day'

These remarks by AAP MLA Kultar Singh Sandhwan were made while he was taking a dig at the Shiromani Akali Dal's announcement on Saturday that they would observe "black day" on September 17. He further said, "If Harsimrat Kaur Badal had not signed the ordinances as Union minister, the black day would have never dawned on farmers."

Sandhwan appealed to all pro-farmer organisations and political parties to observe September 17 as a "black day" at the national level to support the ongoing farmers' agitation against 3 farm laws. Alleging that PM Narendra Modi-led government had turned out to become the most "dictatorial government in the history of India", he said that BJP-led Centre violated the rights of farmers, labourers, employees and students of the country. He also said that the agitation against the “black laws” from the land of Punjab has not only empowered farmers in India but also created awareness among the farmers and labourers of the USA, Canada, Australia, Europe and Africa, for the protection of their rights.

“When the Akali Dal's Badal has unwittingly declared September 17 as a black day with reference to anti-agriculture black laws, they should also repent for signing the farm ordinances and campaigning for the agricultural laws for three months,” he said.

Akali Dal To Observe Sept 17 As 'black Day'

Punjab's Shiromani Akali Dali (SAD) on Saturday declared that the outfit will be observing September 17 as 'black day' to mark one year of the enactment of the three farm laws by the Centre. A party statement maintained that representatives of the camp along with supporters and farmers will be taking the streets while demonstrating and marching in a rally from the Gurudwara  Rakab Ganj Sahib in Delhi to the Indian Parliament, raising voices against the three agriculture laws. 

The decision to hold the demonstration was taken in a meeting headed by Party President Sukhbir Singh Badal and comprising party MLAs, district Presidents, Halqa Sewadars, legislators and members of the party's internal committee.

Farmer's protest farm laws

The agitating farmers have been protesting against the Centre's three laws since November, last year, demanding a complete abrogation. The protests escalated after the agitating farmers broke down barricades and entered Delhi which led to a massive clash between protesters and the police. The farmers then hoisted the SKM flag at the Red Flag on Republic Day. After the violence witnessed on Republic Day, Delhi police sealed the borders of the national capital by cementing nails near barricades, deploying additional troops, adding barbed wires, etc at Ghazipur and Tikri borders, blocking complete access to the roads. The protests had cooled down due to the devastating second wave of COVID.

(Image: PTI, ANI)