Punjab CM hits out at double Standards of SAD & AAP; Kejriwal highlights 'false laws'

On Wednesday, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh accused SAD and AAP of adopting brazen double standards over the bills passed by the state assembly to counter the Centre's farm laws. Taking to Twitter, the Punjab CM said the two opposition parties despite supporting the passage of the bill inside the assembly, denounced them publicly later outside.

Responding to Punjab CM's tweet, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal took a jibe at the former for amending the Centre's law and further questioned that how will it benefit the farmers. Further terming the laws to be 'false and fake', Kejriwal accused Punjab CM of fooling the public.

READ: Punjab CM urges Prez for assent to bill blocking Centre's Farm laws; warns of legal action

After backing the state Bills in the assembly, the SAD had on Tuesday sought an assurance from Amarinder Singh that the state government will procure crops at MSP if the Centre falters on it. The party's statement had come hours after the state assembly unanimously passed Bills and adopted a resolution against the Centre's farm laws. 

Leader of Opposition Harpal Cheema, whose party AAP had backed the Bills, later in a statement on Tuesday evening had said, “The Punjab government is fooling people of the state”.

Cheema had said after the assembly proceedings for the day got over, they sought opinion about the state Bills from farmer leaders, legal experts and intellectuals. 

READ: Rajasthan to follow Punjab's example; will table bills negating farm laws: Ashok Gehlot

Punjab Assembly unanimously passes Bills against farm laws

In a special session of the Punjab Assembly, all the legislators on Tuesday unanimously cleared three bills to negate the impact of the farm laws passed by the Parliament. The Farmers Produce Trade & Commerce Promotion & Facilitation (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2020 ensures that wheat or paddy cannot be purchased except for a price equal to or greater than the Minimum Support Price. Anyone buying below the MSP shall be imprisoned for three years.

The second bill- The Essential Commodities (Special Provision & Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2020 seeks to protect consumers from hoarding and black marketing of agriculture produce. On the other hand, The Farmers Agreement on Price Assurance & Farm Services(Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2020 provides that no sale or purchase of wheat and paddy under a farming agreement shall take place below the MSP. Besides this, another bill was cleared to ensure that the land of farmers up to 2.5 acres cannot be attached in any recovery proceedings.

Except for BJP MLAs who were absent from the House, the Assembly also unanimously passed a resolution rejecting the Centre's farm laws and the proposed Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2020.

READ: Bihar Polls: Cong releases manifesto 'Badlav Patr'; promises to reject Centre's farm laws

READ: SAD, Cong & AAP join hands in Punjab Assembly to clear bills negating Centre's 3 farm laws