A war of words has erupted between Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh and his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal a day after the senior Congress leader accused the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) convener of double standards over central farm laws.Notably, Capt Amarinder had, on Tuesday, lashed out at AAP for “double standards” on the farmers’ protests by implementing the controversial farm laws in the midst of the crisis while pretending to be standing with the farmers.
Hitting out, Kejriwal on Wednesday blamed Punjab Chief Minister for resorting to petty politics by levelling frivolous allegations against him, at the behest of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Reacting, Capt Amarinder lashed out at Kejriwal for low-level politics on farmers’ issue.
Kejriwal accused Capt Amarinder Singh of siding with the Modi Government instead of holding hands of the farmers during this distressing time when they were demanding repeal of the black laws. He also slammed Capt Amarinder Singh for his wild accusation that the Delhi government had cleared the passage for implementation of the three laws, which, he said, was nothing but a false propaganda against me and my government.
In a scathing response, Capt Amarinder lashed out at Arvind Kejriwal for stooping to shamelessly low level of politics and indulging in brazen double-speak in a desperate bid to wriggle out of his own failure to protect the interests of the farming community.
Slamming AAP leader for undermining the farmers’ fight by notifying one of the central laws in Delhi, Capt Amarinder asked Kejriwal “why did you not stand against the Centre by passing your own state legislations like we did in Punjab?”
The Chief Minister trashed Kejriwal’s assertion that states were helpless against the central laws, saying that it was clear that AAP leader did not even want to try to fight the draconian legislations.
“Why else did he not bring any legislation in the state assembly to at least try and negate some of the ill-effects of the central laws?” asked Capt Amarinder.
Instead of meekly just notifying the central laws, Kejriwal could have tried to make some effort to counter them and protect the rights of the farmers, said Capt Amarinder, adding that it was evident that “this sneaky little fellow, whose double standards have been exposed time and again, is now completely cornered on the issue.”
Reacting to Kejriwal’s comment on the Centre being angry with him because his government did not allow Delhi’s stadiums to be used as jails for farmers, Capt Amarinder said that it was quite apparent that the AAP leader, whose survival depended on the Central Government, was more worried about angering the latter than about the plight of the farmers.
The Chief Minister also lambasted Kejriwal for misleading the people on the committee formed by the Central Government last year on agricultural reforms. “Not once were these black laws discussed or even mentioned in the committee,” he reiterated, castigating the Delhi CM for indulging in falsehoods and dirty politics while pretending to be opposing any politicking on the farmers’ issue.
Dubbing Kejriwal’s latest statement attacking him (Amarinder) and appealing to the Centre to address farmers’ concerns as mere hogwash, Punjab Chief Minister said that AAP leader’s actions had thoroughly exposed the hollowness of his remarks.
“It is evident that Kejriwal is only playing to the sentiments of the farmers now because his party has completely lost the political narrative in Punjab, where AAP has its eyes on the 2022 Assembly elections,” said Capt Amarinder adding that the “farmers are not taken in by your crocodile tears”.
SUKHBIR TOO BLASTS DELHI CM FOR SHEDDING “KEJRIWAL TEARS”
SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday lashed out at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for “stabbing the beleaguered farmers in the back with treacherous implementation of the three anti-farmer acts brought by the BJP government at the Centre”.
“This is not just political dishonesty (siasi be-imaani) in the extreme but also an inhuman betrayal of the simple hearted and trusting farmers,” said Sukhbir. SAD chief said that he and the farmers have been shocked to learn that Kejriwal had already implemented the Centre’s anti-farmer Acts and even issued a gazette notification on November 23.
He demanded that Delhi Chief Minister should withdraw the gazette notification immediately. “Kejriwal should also announce that the Delhi Government will not implement the three agri- laws and will ensure assured government marketing at minimum support price (MSP),” he added.