Asserting that his heart was with the farmers protesting against the central laws on the Republic Day, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Tuesday appealed to the farmers to ensure that their 'tractor rally' event remains peaceful.
As per the statement, Singh said that the Centre Centre had deliberately kept Punjab out of the high-powered committee, knowing that the voices of protest would rise from the state. The Chief Minister declared that farmers' voices will continue to rise till their interests are secured.Punjab was included in the high-powered committee only after he wrote to the Centre on the issue, neither he nor his government were ever asked or consulted about the new farm laws, the state government said.
The Chief Minister appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to fulfill the demands of the agitating farmers, who are sitting at Delhi's borders for the past two months. "The farm laws are completely wrong as they are against federalism since agriculture is a state subject under Schedule 7 of the Constitution," he said.
Unfurling the national tricolor here at Raja Bhalindra Singh sports complex, the Chief Minister recalled the contribution of Baba Saheb BR Ambedkar, who had drafted the Constitution which remains the foundation of the nation's governance till date.Hoping that the farmers' tractor rally today passes off as peacefully as their agitation so far has been, the Chief Minister said, "Old farmers are sitting at the borders of the national capital, not for themselves but their children and the future generations."
"Be peaceful, and the country is with you. 122 MPs in the UK had spoken in favor of the farmers and other countries had also supported the protests as the farmers had been peaceful all along," he added.
Protests against the Central agri laws intensified in the national capital on Tuesday as groups of farmers were seen indulging in vandalism of public property and targeting police personnel deployed for Republic Day security.Reports of farmers breaking barricades to enter Delhi and indulging in vandalism poured from several parts of the city.Protesting farmers have now reached ITO after breaking police barricades placed opposite old Delhi Police headquarters and were seen attacking police personnel and vandalising vehicles.
( With inputs from ANI )
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