Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Friday slammed the farm legislations “being forced on to the nation” by the Central Government as part of the Kisan maaru, Punjab maaru (Destroy Farmers, Destroy Punjab) conspiracy of the BJP-led NDA, of which the Akalis “shamelessly” continue to be a part at the cost of their own State and its people.

“I don’t know what enmity the BJP and the Akalis have with Punjab and why they are out to destroy us,” said the Chief Minister while launching the virtual Kisan Mela of the Punjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana. The launch was held with virtual connectivity at 100 locations and participated by farmers, farmer representatives, and other stakeholders, including Ministers, MLAs and Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar.

Warning again that the legislations will lead to growing angst among the people in the border State, thus giving Pakistan the opportunity to stoke more fires, Capt Amarinder said that the anti-farmer move will spoil Punjab’s abo hawa (environment). “Delhi has to rethink on this issue,” he stressed, adding that the legislations would undo the sacrifices made by Punjab and its farmers over 65 years to make India self-sufficient in food.

Accusing the Akalis of playing their own political games in this entire affair, Capt Amarinder asked the Badals why the SAD had failed to stand with the Punjab Government on these Bills and even on the critical water issue. “Did you not think even once what will happen to Punjab without agriculture and without water?” he asked the Akalis, pointing out that with the SYL issue hanging over the State, the situation was perilous and the SAD had only contributed to the crisis by supporting the farm ordinances.

“Notwithstanding the Centre’s denials, these new laws will eventually pave the way for the elimination of the MSP regime and end of the FCI (Food Corporation of India), leaving the farmers at the mercy of big corporates, as recommended by the Shanta Kumar committee.

Strongly opposing the legislations, the Chief Minister also trashed the Centre’s guarantee of MSP not being tampered with, saying that it was a Constitutional guarantee given by the Parliament, which, in fact, the incumbent government at the Centre was trying to destroy with their brute majority. “Even the MSP already announced on items like Maize is not being given to the farmers,” he noted, questioning the sincerity of the Government of India.

Categorically rejecting BJP and SAD claims that Punjab was on board with the farm ordinances, the Chief Minister made it clear that the issue of any such ordinances or new laws on agriculture was never discussed at any of the meetings in which his Government was represented at the high-powered committee set up by the Centre on agricultural reforms.

“Politicians should not lie on such grave issues with serious implications for our future generations,” said Capt Amarinder, in an obvious reference to the false and misleading claims of Union Minister Raosaheb Patil Danve and SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal. Politics aside, this is an issue concerning the future of our children, he added.

With only 13 seats in Lok Sabha, the Congress was browbeaten and the dangerous and vicious Bills were passed by the Centre with brute majority, he pointed out, adding that India’s future generations will not forgive the damage being inflicted on the nation by the NDA and its allies.

The high-powered committee was clearly an eyewash, the Chief Minister said, waving the draft report shared with Punjab, which made no mention whatsoever of the ordinances.

It was shameful that despite knowing these facts as part of the ruling coalition, the Akalis continued to side with the Central Government and did not oppose the ordinances during the all-party meeting convened by him and did not even come to the Assembly to vote for the resolution against them, said Capt Amarinder.

Taking a dig at Harsimrat Badal’s remarks of standing with her ‘farmer brethren’ by resigning from the Union Cabinet, Capt Amarinder asked why she forgot that the farmers were her brothers when the Centre brought in the ordinances. Had SAD stood with his government from the outset and put pressure on their ally, the BJP, the current situation may not have arisen, he added.