Dr Daljit S Cheema says CM maligned the media but refused to clarify if his minster Bharat Bhushan Ashu had stated that one of the black laws allowing outsiders to sell their produce in Punjab had been implemented or not)
Chandigarh, January 6 ( Wishavwarta )- – The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today said it did not behove chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh to lie and try to rubbish a factual statement given by food and civil supplies minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu which detailed that the Congress government had implemented one of the three hated Agri laws by allowing outsiders to sell their produce in Punjab.
In a statement here, former minister Dr Daljit Singh Cheema also questioned the chief minister for trying to bring the fourth estate into disrepute by terming media reports of his minister as well as Ludhiana mp Ravneet Bittu admitting that the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020 had been implemented in Punjab as mischievous. He said it was strange that the chief minister had released a press note to rubbish factual coverage of the press conference of Mr Bharat Bhushan Ashu but had not said one word to clarify whether the black law had been implemented in Punjab or not. “It is obvious that you know you are lying and don’t have any feet to stand on. That is why you have come out with a wishy washy statement in a desperate bid to befool the people after being exposed thoroughly”, he said adding if the chief minister felt the food and civil supplies minister had lied to the people he should sack Ashu immediately.
Stating that no denial could take away from the truth, Dr Cheema said it was also a fact that the Congress government had not only implemented the black laws but had also made amendments in the APMC Act in 2017 to implement the same provisions as contained in the three Agricultural laws. “What this means is that now even if the Supreme Courts prevails upon the central government to repeal the Agricultural laws the same would be applicable in Punjab because the Punjab government under the leadership of Capt Amarinder Singh has enforced the same. This amounts to backstabbing the farming community as well as the Kisan Andolan and proves that the Congress government in Punjab is following the dictates of the BJP led central government and is only shedding crocodile tears for the welfare of the farmers”.
