Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh (Sanjeev Sharma/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)Punjab Chief Minister (CM) and Congress leader Captain Amarinder Singh today said that union government’s move to pay the farmers directly for crop procurement will further aggravate the current protests against the farm laws, reports TOI.
Calling centre’s move “another provocation”, Singh seeking land records and FCI making e-payments directly to the farmers will “worsen the situation”.
He said that Punjab had a time-tested system in place since 1967 with farmers getting paid through “arhatiyas” (commission agents) with whom they have excellent relations and can depend on for financial help in the time of adversity.
“How could farmers rely on big corporate houses in the times of crisis,” he asked.
Singh said that the centre was showing an “apathetic” attitude which would not help resolve the situation, he said in reference to the current protests against the farm laws. He further said that the central government was fuelling the situation instead of resolving it.
He also said that the Governor should immediately decide and forward the state's amendment bills to negate farm laws to the president. "If the President accepts it's good and if he refuses, it will open the doors for legal recourse,” he said.
An Appeal...
Dear Reader,
As you are no doubt aware, Swarajya is a media product that is directly dependent on support from its readers in the form of subscriptions. We do not have the muscle and backing of a large media conglomerate nor are we playing for the large advertisement sweep-stake.
Our business model is you and your subscription. And in challenging times like these, we need your support now more than ever.
We deliver over 10 - 15 high quality articles with expert insights and views. From 7AM in the morning to 10PM late night we operate to ensure you, the reader, get to see what is just right.
Becoming a Patron or a subscriber for as little as Rs 1200/year is the best way you can support our efforts.