Assure crop procurement at MSP by state govt if Centre falters, demands SAD

Stressing that a lot needs to be done to secure Punjab farmers' future, the SAD sought an assurance from CM Amarinder Singh that the state government will procure crops at MSP if the Centre falters

Stressing that still a lot needs to be done to secure Punjab farmers' future, the Shiromani Akali Dal on Tuesday sought an assurance from Chief Minister Amarinder Singh that the state government will procure crops at MSP if the Centre falters on it.

The party's statement has come in the wake of the state assembly passing four Bills and adopting a resolution against the Centre's contentious farm laws.

The SAD and the Aam Aadmi Party backed the Bills in the assembly while the BJP, which has two MLAs in the state, stayed away from the special session called against the farm laws.

Commenting on the passage of the Bills, SAD leaders claimed that the Congress government brought these after an ultimatum by farmers.

"Still a lot needs to be done to secure the future of Punjab farmers, said SAD legislature party leader Sharanjit Singh Dhillon.

The SAD leaders said their legislators were ready to resign en masse to ensure that the Centre gives the state its due.

The fight to secure justice for the 'kisan', 'khet mazdoor' and 'arhtiyas' (farmers, farm labourers and commission agents) as well as three crore Punjabis has just started, Dhillon said.

Now, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh must give a categorical assurance that the state government will procure all crops, including wheat, paddy, cotton and maize, at the minimum support price (MSP) if the Centre defaults on the same, Dhillon said.

Dhillon, along with senior SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia, said, "It is now clear that the Congress government, which was running away from calling a special session, was forced to do so due to an ultimatum served on it by farmers."

Majithia said even as all parties presented a united stand in the fight against the Centre, it was unfortunate that the Congress government did not share the proposed Bills with all stakeholders, including farmers and legislators before the House was convened.

He said it would have been better had the government passed a Bill under the agriculture head by moving to make the entire state a single principal market yard to negate the implementation of the Centre's farm laws.

Any such Bill would have received both the governor's as well as the presidential nod for being a state subject. A huge opportunity has been missed, Majithia claimed.