Deploring the Republic Day violence in Delhi, especially at the Red Fort, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Wednesday termed it an insult to the nation. “It has brought shame to the country and weakened farmers’ agitation,” he said while making it clear that he continued to stand with the farmers as the farm laws were “wrong” and “against India’s federal ethos”.
Stressing that the Red Fort is a symbol of independent India and thousands of Indians had given up their lives for independence and to see the national flag flying atop the fort, the Chief Minister said that Mahatma Gandhi had fought the entire war of independence through non-violence. “My head hangs in shame at what happened yesterday in the national capital,” he said.
“Whoever has done it (indulged in violence at Red Fort) has brought shame to the country and Delhi Police should investigate and take action,” he said, adding that the Centre should also probe into the involvement, if any, of any political party or nation, while making sure that no farm leaders are unnecessarily targeted or harassed by the police.
The Chief Minister declared that the future of Punjab’s youth lay in peace and recent developments had slowed down investment in the State.Even as he demanded action against the perpetrators, who he said were not farmers but “misguided youth indulging in symbolism”, the Chief Minister said that such problems will continue to take place if the Government fails to listen to the voice of the people.
“A government for the people and by the people cannot ignore the will of the people,” he said, adding that the performance of the BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre will not be acceptable in the next elections to the majority in a country where 70 percent of the population is of farmers.
“The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) should realize that stability and secularism, encompassing all minorities, is the key to inclusive growth of the nation and playing the Hindutva card will not lead to progress,” he remarked.
“The Farm Laws are wrong, which is why we passed our own laws,” Captain Amarinder said, pointing out that Agriculture is a state subject, yet “we were not asked before introducing the Ordinances.”
Lamenting that the Governor had not yet forwarded the state amendment Bills to the President for assent, he said that the laws were passed in the state assembly under Article 254 (II) of the Constitution, as the BJP had done in the case of the Land Acquisition Act.
“If it could be done for the BJP, why can’t they do it for us,” he asked, questioning the biased attitude towards the Congress government in Punjab.
Reiterating that the farm laws will be death knell for the economic empowerment of the future generations of the farmers who are protesting against the legislations, the Chief Minister said that private corporates were even now functioning in Punjab and could continue coming into the State without destroying the established system of MSP, arhtiyas, and PDS.
INDIA NEEDS CLEAR POLICY, IMPROVED MILITARY MIGHT TO COUNTER CHINA’S EXPANSIONIST AGENDA: CAPT
Warning that talks with Beijing alone would not lead anywhere, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Wednesday said that the Indian Government should have a clear and well-defined policy on its hostile neighbour given China’s long-standing expansionist agenda.
Hoping that India got the better of China in the latest skirmish at Naku La on January 20, Capt Amarinder said that India needs to improve and strengthen its military might. “This incident, after Galwan Valley, shows that China has not backed off, and has no intention of backing off, from its expansionist policy,” he said.
He further pointed out that India has not been able to take back from China what “they have seized from us through force”. The need for a strong military in the face of such threat at the border cannot be over-emphasized, he added.Urging the Centre to think seriously on the joint threat from Pakistan and China, the Chief Minister said: “Pakistan cannot move without China, they both support each other.”In the circumstances, “mere talks with China won’t lead anywhere, we need to augment our military prowess,” he asserted.
Stressing that China had always pursued an expansionist agenda, the Chief Minister said that the neighbouring country had been concentrating on expansionism through development of their defence infrastructure.
“They have already built capacities in cyber and rocket warfare to dominate the world and they claim that they will exceed America’s defence production in the next seven years,” he noted, underlining the need for a cohesive and clear-cut strategy by New Delhi.
