Sukhbir slams Centre over 'failure' of talks with farmers

Chandigarh, Oct 14 (IANS) Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday came down heavily against the "gross betrayal of the farmers and their organisations by the BJP government in Delhi" on the pretext of the so-called talks between the representatives of both the sides.

He warned the 'Amarinder Singh-BJP duo' against trying to betray or bulldoze the farmers.

Badal said in a statement here that the BJP government was repeating the blunders of the past Congress rulers in Punjab and was "resorting to the same anti-Punjab and anti-farmer conspiracies to provoke the farmers and the youth".

"This can have serious consequences for peace in the sensitive border state of Punjab as well as for the stability in the country since farmers' struggle is a national issue," he said.

The Akali leader said the Prime Minister should have found time to meet the "anndata" of the country instead of sending faceless bureaucrat to "preach at them".

"If the PM was too busy on this day, the meeting could have easily been rescheduled. The farmers did the right thing by coming out and refusing to walk into the conspiracy," Badal said.

He reiterated the SAD's "total, unflinching and unconditional support to the farmers' struggle" and said his party would fully abide by whatever "commands we receive from the farm organisations in this struggle".

The SAD President demanded that all "black laws" against the farmers must be scrapped and the farmers' bodies be consulted on the way forward.

"The farmers' loss is the loss of the entire nation. The black laws are not just against the farmers, but also 'khet mazdoors', 'mandi' labourers, 'arhtiyas', small traders and shopkeepers as well as the overall business, trade and industry in the country," he said.

Badal said Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh was acting totally at the behest of the BJP government in trying to sabotage the farmers' movement.

"Amarinder Singh sent his ministers to the farmers to mislead them into withdrawing their just struggle," he said.

"The Centre has messed up a great opportunity. The opportunity had been created by the farmers' organisations through their large-hearted and constructive response to the Centre's invite. But the Centre chose to play games and indulge in double speak. The whole purpose of the exercise had already been defeated by the BJP designating senior and powerful ministers to visit Punjab and prove that the farmers were wrong in demanding a change in the farm Acts of the government of India," said Badal.

He added that the chances of success of these talks had been destroyed by the government's open and arrogant decision to send ministers to Punjab to "educate farmers" as if they were illiterate children.

"Who knows farming and farm economy better than the farmers? It is the Centre and not the farmers who need education," said the SAD President.