AAP to raise issue of farm ordinances in Punjab Vidhan Sabha

Punjab’s main opposition party AAP Tuesday said it would raise several issues in the one-day assembly session on August 28, including the three recent “anti-farmer” ordinances promulgated by the Centre. Cheema said the government should have extended the session for at least 15 days to discuss and debate threadbare the issues and concerns.

Punjab’s main opposition party AAP Tuesday said it would raise several issues in the one-day assembly session on August 28, including the three recent “anti-farmer” ordinances promulgated by the Centre. Aam Aadmi Party MLAs held a meeting here under Leader of Opposition Harpal Singh Cheema to discuss these issues. Cheema said the party has decided to take up the three “anti-farmer” ordinances, water crisis, and the Sutlej-Yamuna Link canal among other issues. The Centre had recently promulgated the three ordinances -- the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Ordinance. “The government of Punjab has betrayed the people of the state by truncating the monsoon session to a mere four-hour session, which is a mockery of democracy,” Cheema alleged in a statement here. Cheema said the government should have extended the session for at least 15 days to discuss and debate threadbare the issues and concerns. It should also have ensured live telecast of the proceedings of the session, he said.

On behalf of the party, Sunam MLA Aman Arora has sought permission from the Speaker to bring a resolution in the Vidhan Sabha to repeal the “anti-agriculture” ordinances and the the Central Power Amendment Bill, 2020, Cheema said. MLAs Meet Hayer and Budhram informed that calling attention motions had already been sent to the Speaker for his approval with regard to straw-burning and running Bathinda thermal plant on straw.