Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Tuesday said that as President Ram Nath Kovind had not given time for a meeting, he would lead a ‘relay dharna’ of MLAs in New Delhi on November 4 to highlight the State’s power crisis and critical essential supplies situation amid continued suspension of goods trains by the railways.
The Opposition parties, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), termed the Congress’s announcement of the relay protest as a gimmick to mislead farmers.
Capt. Amaridner said as the crisis triggered by the suspension of goods trains had aggravated, resulting in a complete shut-down of all power plants as well as curtailment of agricultural and vegetables supplies, he had decided to hold a symbolic ‘relay dharna at Rajghat’ in Delhi to bring the State’s grim situation to the Centre’s notice.
Since Section 144 was in place in Delhi, Congress MLAs would go from Punjab Bhawan to Rajghat in batches of four only and he would lead the first batch.
He appealed to MLAs of other political parties too to join the ‘dharnas’ in the interest of the State which, he said, was facing a dire situation at present with the last of the private power plants also shutting down on November 3.
‘Grim situation’
The situation on the ground was grim as the State had run out of coal, urea, DAP and other essential supplies due to the decision of the railways not to ply goods trains even after the farmers eased their blockade to allow such movement. “With its bid for power purchase not cleared for today, the State was facing extreme power shortage, all agricultural and vegetable supplies had been curtailed, and high loss feeders power supply had been cut,” the Chief Minister said, adding that the people of Punjab were staring at a dark festival season.
The continued and inexplicable suspension of goods trains was also having serious consequences for Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh, he stated.
Cheema’s charge
Senior SAD leader Daljit Singh Cheema accused the State government and the BJP-led Central government of playing a fixed match to defame farmers’ organisations and described the Congress’s proposed ‘dharna’ as a gimmick.
He said the Chief Minister should meet the Ministers concerned and the Prime Minister if needed and ensure all inbound trains to Punjab were restarted. “If he does not do that and indulges in politics by holding a sham ‘dharna’ in Delhi it will be proved beyond doubt that Capt. Amarinder is not interested in resolving the current crisis.”
AAP Punjab president Bhagwant Mann termed the Congress’s ‘dharna’ a well thought-out ploy to derail the peasant struggle.
“... why Capt. Amarinder Singh is seeking an audience with the President of the country over the contentious laws, while all know that the decision to withdraw the black laws and guarantee of procurement of all crops at the MSP, including wheat and paddy, is in the hands of the Prime Minister. He is simply trying to fool the people by resorting to such cheap gimmicks,” said Mr. Mann.
‘President refused meeting’
Soon after the special Assembly session, in which all parties unanimously resolved to seek time from the President for November 4 (or any other suitable date) to seek his intervention on the farm bills issue, the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), on October 21, sent a letter to Rashtrapati Bhavan seeking a meeting. A reminder was subsequently sent on October 29, in response to which the CMO received a letter on November 2, rejecting the request for a meeting on grounds of the State amendment bills were still pending with the Governor for consideration.
