Repeal farm laws to resolve crisis: Punjab CM

Chandigarh: Stressing that there was nothing wrong with the demands of the farmers, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Wednesday urged the Prime Minister to immediately repeal the farm laws in order to resolve the crisis. Categorically rejecting as "highly irresponsible" reports in a section of the media that Punjab had already implemented the new farm laws, the Chief Minister said Food Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu's Statement had been mischievously twisted by one newspaper, with others picking it up.

Punjab was the first State to have opposed the Central farm laws and, in fact, passed amendments Bills to negate their dangerous impact on agriculture, he pointed out, slamming the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for spreading misinformation on the issue with their fake propaganda machinery. The Governor, he said, "should have forwarded our Bills to the President for assent, which he has not done".

The Chief Minister made it clear that Punjab would not allow the lives of its farmers to be ruined by the new laws. "We will do whatever possible to help the farmers and their families, for whom the State government had already started two helplines on which they could reach out in case of any emergency," he said.

Urging the Prime Minister to withdraw the controversial laws and talk to the farmers, Amarinder Singh said, "The farmers have made their stand very clear that the laws should be repealed. It is the job of the government of India to listen to them."

The Centre can bring in new laws after due consultation with the farmers, he said, pointing out that the Constitution has been amended many times and can be done again for the revocation of the recently enacted farm legislations.

Noting that farmers from across the country had joined the protests against the farm laws, Amarinder Singh said after six-seven meetings, it was time that the matter is resolved and the farmers, who are sitting out in the cold and rains, can go back and everyone else can get on with their lives. The Chief Minister lambasted those calling the protesting farmers Naxals and terrorists, terming it as wrong and irresponsible.