Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Wednesday said that by delaying the resolution of the farmers’ crisis, the BJP-led government at the Centre was allowing Pakistan to take advantage of dissatisfaction emerging in the State.
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He said the growing economic and military collusion between Pakistan and China is New Delhi’s “failure of diplomacy”.
Urging the Centre to repeal the farm laws in the interest of the nation’s security, if for no other reason, the Chief Minister asked, “Have you not thought of what Pakistan will do in this scenario?” Warning that the neighbouring country would take advantage of the dissatisfaction among the youth in Punjab, as it had done in the past, Captain Singh stressed the need to “learn from history.”
“Is Delhi sleeping?” he asked, citing figures on increase in arms smuggling into Punjab through drones since the farmers had intensified their stir.
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The Chief Minister once again urged the Central government not to be stubborn. “This is not Hitler’s Germany or Mao Zedong’s China. The people’s will has to be heard,” he stressed, adding that those at the helm should understand that the agitation of the farmers was not a political issue but a matter of their survival. The agitation is not limited to Punjab, he added.
Capt. Singh said he had seen, in the past, the build-up of terrorism, and also the assassination of a chief minister of Punjab. The situation was worse today because of economic and military collusion between Pakistan and China, which was “very ominous for India”, he told reporters.
Capt. Singh said that in the upcoming Assembly polls, the Aam Aadmi Party posed no risk to the Congress in Punjab. “Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had failed to implement even 30% of his promises. Kejriwal should focus on his own State instead of talking rubbish in Punjab. He talks about giving jobs to Punjab when his own track record in Delhi is pathetic!” quipped the Chief Minister.
As for the Akalis, they were a divided lot and the party is splintering, said the Chief Minister, adding that “Badal Senior” was no longer in a position to lead the party due to his age. On the BJP’s prospects in Punjab, his response was “Which BJP?”. The party had no support base in the State, he said, adding that the BJP could even end up getting back with the Shiromani Akali Dal in desperation.