Punjab CM Amarinder ridicules 'Greedy SAD' for quitting NDA; sees 'bigger political mess'

The Shiromani Akali Dal on Saturday quit the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) over the farm bills issue, amid agitation by farmers in Punjab over the three legislations which were recently passed by Parliament amid Opposition protests. Reacting to the development, Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh said that Akali Dal was "left with no choice" after BJP exposed that Sukhbir Singh Badal and his party were "fully party to Anti-Farmer legislations".

'Akali Das was left with no choice'

The Punjab CM ridiculed 'Greedy SAD' for clinging to power even after BJP's criticism of Akalis on Farm Bills, and took a jibe at Sukhbir Badal's 'atomic bomb' remark on Harsimrat Kaur's resignation from the Modi cabinet, saying that 'it wasn't even a damp squib or a firecracker'.

Amarinder Singh said there was no moral high ground involved in the decision of the Shiromani Akali Dal. "The Akalis had no choice before them since the BJP had already made it clear that it held SAD responsible for failing to convince the farmers about the goodness of the agriculture bills," he said. 

"The SAD decision to quit NDA was just the culmination of their saga of lies and deception, which eventually led to the party being cornered on the issue of farm bills. SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal was virtually caught between the devil and the deep sea after his initial unprincipled stand on the farm ordinances, followed by the sudden U-turn in the face of farmer protests," Punjab CM added.

Captain Amarinder Singh said that but far from helping them save face, which they probably hoped to do, "the Akalis will now find themselves in a bigger political mess now", having been left with no place either in Punjab or at the Centre. Amarinder Singh said if Sukhbir Badal, Harsimrat Badal and other SAD leaders had any shame left, they should admit to their deceitful actions as part of the Union government and beg the farmers for forgiveness.

READ | SAD to CM Amarinder: Declare Punjab as Principal Market Yard so Farm Bills don't apply

Akali Dal exits NDA

Addressing the media on Friday regarding the decision to quit NDA, the SAD chief said that the party will continue to stand by its core principles of "peace, communal harmony and guarding the interest of Punjab, Punjabis in general and Sikhs and farmers in particular". He said the decision has been taken in consultation with the people of Punjab, especially party workers and farmers.

READ | Akali Dal pulls out of BJP-led NDA over Farm Bills row: "Centre insensitive to Punjab"

Badal said that the bills on agricultural marketing brought by the BJP-led government were "lethal and disastrous" for the already beleaguered farmers. He said the SAD was the oldest ally of the BJP but the government "did not listen to it on honouring the sentiments of farmers".

READ | Amid farm bills row, Centre goes for early procurement of paddy in Haryana, Punjab

The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 were passed by Parliament on Sunday. A third bill relating to amendment in the Essential Commodities Act has also been passed by Parliament. The Centre has said that the bills provide farmers with the freedom to sell their produce everywhere.

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