Amarinder Singh hits out at “double standards” of opposition SAD & AAP

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Wednesday accused the Opposition, SAD and AAP, of adopting “brazen double standards” over the bills passed by the state assembly to counter the Centre's farm laws.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Wednesday accused the Opposition, SAD and AAP, of adopting "brazen double standards" over the bills passed by the state assembly to counter the Centre's farm laws. Singh said the two opposition parties, the Shiromani Akali Dal and Aam Aadmi Party, despite supporting the passage of the bill inside the assembly, criticised them publicly later outside.

"I am amazed that they spoke in favour of the Bills in the assembly, and even went to meet the Governor along with me, but said different things outside. This shows their brazen double standard," Singh told reporters here, after the three-day special session of the state assembly was adjourned sine die. Asked if other parties, especially AAP, which has a government in Delhi, too should bring in legislation akin to Punjab's to negate the effects of the central farm laws, Singh said Arvind Kejriwal should follow Punjab's example.

Lashing out at the Opposition, he said the farmers have not said anything against the state Bills, which are designed to safeguard their interests and those of the state's agriculture. "But it is more than clear that these parties are not interested in securing the future of the farmers or protecting the state's agriculture and economy," the chief minister said, slamming the SAD and AAP for "playing to the galleries by pretending to back the Bills in the assembly". "Their lack of sincerity towards the farmers' cause have been totally exposed by their statements thereafter," he said.

"If they thought we were fooling the people of Punjab, why did they not say so in the House? Why did they support and vote for our Bills?" asked Singh, reacting to SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia and AAP leadership's statements. They had both accused the chief minister of misleading the people, citing his remarks on the possibility of the Governor or President not assenting to the Bills. After backing the state Bills in the assembly, the SAD had on Tuesday sought an assurance from Amarinder Singh that the state government will procure crops at MSP if the Centre falters on it.

The party's statement had come hours after the state assembly unanimously passed four Bills and adopted a resolution against the Centre's farm laws. The SAD and AAP had both backed the Bills in the assembly while the BJP, which has two MLAs in the state, stayed away from the special session called against the farm laws.

Leader of Opposition Harpal Cheema, whose party AAP had backed the Bills, later in a statement on Tuesday evening had said, "The Punjab government is fooling people of the state". Cheema had said after the assembly proceedings for the day got over, they sought opinion about the state Bills from farmer leaders, legal experts and intellectuals.

He said the question which arose was "can any state government negate the laws passed by Parliament". Hitting back at the SAD, Amarinder Singh said, "If I had to fool the people why would I honestly share with them my apprehensions? Why would I openly talk about the possible scenarios instead of feeding them with a whole bunch of lies, as the Akalis and AAP are used to doing?" He said these opposition leaders criticised his government's efforts to save the farmers soon after joining his government in passing a resolution rejecting the central farm laws along with Bills to negate the same. "They even went to the Governor with me to submit copies to him," he added. "Clearly they have no shame left," he added.

The chief minister reiterated that he does not care if the Centre dismisses his government but, he said, he would fight to protect the rights of the farmers till his last breath. "If the Centre thinks I have done something wrong they can dismiss me, I am not afraid. I have resigned twice earlier and can do it again," he said in response to a question. There are plenty of legal options, the chief minister remarked in his response to another query but expressed optimism that the Governor would fulfil his responsibility by listening to Punjab's people. "The voice of Punjab has reached the Governor and he will send the Bills to the President of India," Singh said, adding the latter too cannot ignore the sentiments and appeal of the state.

Meanwhile, to another question on Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu, Singh said he was happy that he came to the House on Tuesday and spoke well..

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)