SAYS PUNJAB HAS ALREADY FINALISED PETITIONS TO CHALLENGE THE CENTRAL ACTS

Chandigarh
Slamming AAP state president, Bhagwant Mann, for speaking blatant lies, Punjab Chief Minister, Captain Amarinder Singh, on Saturday said that it is unfortunate that people like him (Mann), who had no knowledge about the Constitution and legislative procedures, were in politics, and were making illogical statements with the sole motive of misleading the people. The chief minister said that the state government had already finalised requisite petitions for challenging the central Acts and would do so at an opportune time on the advice of legal experts.

“Just like his bosses, Mann too has mastered the art of lying and deception but while doing so he has exposed his incompetence as a parliamentarian by making frivolous statements on matters pertaining to the Constitution and Legislative Procedures”, said Captain Amarinder while referring to AAP leader’s claims of a collusion between the Chief Minister and the Governor over sending the agriculture laws, passed unanimously in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha to negate the black farm laws imposed on the country by the NDA led government, to the President. “You really have no knowledge of how Legislative work is done”, said the Chief Minister while advising Mann not to shoot his mouth off on matters of such vital importance.

“If you think that you can mislead the people of Punjab by your lies, you are utterly mistaken, as every Punjabi has seen through your webs of deceit and your betrayal of the farmers’ cause”, said Captain Amarinder. The chief minister said that while his government’s stand on the centre’s black farm laws had been consistent from day one, both AAP and Shiromani Akali Dal had been doing flip flops over it.

“One day you unanimously support our bills and your party leaders, including Leader of the Opposition, Harpal Singh Cheema, accompany me to the Governor and the very next day you do a somersault and start opposing them”, said the chief minister while adding that such flip flops had shown the real face of AAP to the people of Punjab. The Chief Minister further said that AAP’s double face and its collusion with the BJP to weaken the farmers’ agitation had been further exposed with Arvind Kejriwal meekly notifying one of the farm laws in Delhi rather than following Punjab’s example of bringing in legislations in the assembly to negate the impact of the black farm laws.

The Chief Minister said that contrary to Mann’s claims, the state’s Advocate General, Atul Nanda, had already prepared and finalised requisite petitions for challenging the three Central Acts. “Since these Acts impact the lives and futures of our farmers, all decisions will be taken carefully and judiciously at an opportune time”, said Captain Amarinder Singh.

Captain Amarinder said that although matters related to Agriculture are mentioned in List II (State List) of the Constitution of India and fall under the exclusive domain of the State Government, the Government of India had enacted the three contentious Farm Laws under the provisions related to Agriculture Marketing mentioned in List III (Concurrent List). Being a central legislation, the State Government had limited options under Article 254(2) of the Constitution and it had exercised the same with the Punjab Assembly passing Bills to amend the Central Laws. As per the law of the land any Bills passed by the State Assembly are mandatorily required to be sent to the Governor, who after studying them has to give his consent for forwarding them to the President for approval.

The chief minister said the state government was following the laid down procedures and would be talking remedial legal actions after exhausting other options. He advised AAP and other opposition leaders to desist from spreading lies. “Unlike you, I don’t consider the present crises being faced by our farmers an opportunity to further any political agenda. It concerns the future and lives of our farmers and I’m fully committed to safeguarding them”, he said.