Punjab CM slams Kejriwal on implementing farm laws while "pretending" to support farmers

Amid the protest over the farm laws, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Tuesday lambasted the AAP led Delhi Government, by alleging that on one side the AAP led government is showing its support to the farmers' protest and on the other side it implemented the farm laws against which the farmers are protesting.

Captain Amarinder Singh pointed out that although the AAP claimed to support the agitating farmers, the Arvind Kejriwal government in Delhi had "brazenly executed the black laws through a gazette notification on November 23, 2020".

"Do they have no shame?", asked Captain Amarinder according to the press release issued by Punjab CMO. The Punjab CM has lambasted the Delhi government for "misleading the Kisan Unions by pretending to be supporting their cause while all this time, Kejriwal’s party was merely indulging in political theatrics."

"First they failed to pass any amendment laws in the Delhi Assembly to negate the central laws, as was done in Punjab. And now they have gone so far as to officially notify the agricultural legislations in Delhi, where AAP is in power. The party’s true intent and affiliation has been utterly exposed," the release stated quoting Captain Amarinder.

The Punjab CM also alleged that the AAP government in Delhi did not even accept the farmers’ demand for a protest site at Ram Lila ground or Jantar Mantar, Captain Amarinder asked: "why they had been toeing the BJP line in this whole affair?"

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Meeting between Centre and farmer unions

Meanwhile, the Centre on Tuesday initiated talks with the farmers' unions which have been protesting against the farm laws passed in parliament in the monsoon session. About 32 farmers Unions (mostly from Punjab) have been said to be part of the meeting with the government and another meeting is said to be called at 7 PM with Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU). According to the latest information from sources amid the meeting underway, the Centre has given a detailed presentation to the farmers' associations to clear the air about the three farm laws. Sources have further hinted about the government mulling on forming a committee with the representatives of farmers, agricultural experts and the government's own representatives, to assuage the farmers. The protests were carried out by farmers after having doubts that the laws may impact the MSP mechanism and the entry of private sector entities may lead to the farmers being at the mercy of corporates.

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