Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Monday, 21 December, hit out at the central government over its ‘efforts to defame farmers with bogey of talks’. This was to create an impression that while the government was being reasonable, the farmers were in the wrong, he added.
Badal further stated that this was an attempt to tire out the farmers.
“SAD condemns GOI efforts to defame farmers with bogey of talks to create impression that it’s reasonable & farmers are wrong. This is an attempt to tire out farmers. Farmer orgs have clearly stated they don’t want these 3 agri laws. Centre should call Parl session & repeal them (sic).”Sukhbir Singh Badal, SAD chief
Badal, who was paying obeisance at Gurudwara Katalgarh Sahib on the occasion of Shaheedi Jor Mela urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to call an emergency Parliament session and repeal the farm laws, adding that people have the final say in a democracy.
Badal, whose party pulled out of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) over the farm bill legislation, reportedly stated that the people have made Narendra Modi the prime minister and it is his duty to listen to the voice of people. He was quoted by PTI as stating that instead of doing this, the Centre first “linked the agitation to religion and separatists and now pitting brother against brother against brother.”
He further warned the Centre that the more it tried to suppress the ongoing agitation, the more it would be strengthened. Badal also reportedly accused the Centre of misusing the Income Tax Department to target arhtiyas (commission agents).
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