Punjab CM writes to PM Modi; urges him to not go ahead with 'anti-farmer ordinances'

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Monday urged the Prime Minister not to go ahead with their legislation of 'anti-farmer ordinance' that was presented in the Parliament earlier today. Punjab government also refuted Centre’s claim that Punjab was taken on board before the promulgation of the anti-farmer Ordinances.

The CM is slated to lead an 11-member delegation of his party on Wednesday to submit a memorandum to the Governor against the Ordinances. An official spokesperson said that the delegation will include Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar along with some ministers and MLAs of the party.

In his letter to PM Modi, Captain Amarinder Singh urged the former to not pursue the Ordinances and also to make MSP a statutory right of the farmers. 

Drawing the Prime Minister’s attention to his June 15 demi-official letter on the issue, Captain Amarinder pointed out in his letter today that “the farmers of Punjab, as well as most political parties, have urged the Union Government to withdraw these Ordinances as they will cause irreparable damage to farming in the State," mentioned an official release.

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Farmers Protest Centre's Farm Ordinances

Farmers in Punjab blocked several roads including the Amritsar-Delhi national highway and held agitations in different parts of the state on Monday to protest the farm ordinances promulgated by the Centre.

While different farmers' outfits raised slogans against the Centre for bringing the "anti-farmer" ordinances and demanded their rollback, commuters faced inconvenience due to the road blockade as the authorities diverted traffic through other roads.

The farmers are demanding a rollback of the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020.

READ: SAD appeals to Centre not to enact laws on farm ordinances till redressal of farmers’ fears

READ: Punjab: Farmers protest Centre's farm ordinances