War of words erupts between Akalis, Mann over Essential Commodities Act

This amended law frees items such as foodgrains, pulses, edible oils and onion for trade except in extraordinary situations

A day after the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) accused Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and AAP Punjab unit convener Bhagwant Mann of being hand in glove with the BJP-led central government in giving assent to the contentious Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, a war of words has erupted between the Sangrur MP and the Akalis, with Mann refuting the allegations as baseless and politically motivated.

War of words erupts between Akalis, Mann over Essential Commodities Act

This amended law frees items such as foodgrains, pulses, edible oils and onion for trade except in extraordinary situations.

On Sunday, SAD leader and former minister Daljit Singh Cheema alleged that AAP has struck a deal with the centre at the cost of the welfare of the farmers.

On Monday, Youth Akali Dal (YAD) chief Parambans Singh Romana also attacked Mann alleging that he had taken favours from corporate houses for giving his assent to the Act during a recent meeting of the parliamentary standing committee on food and consumer affairs.

Mann, however, termed the allegations baseless and politically motivated. “I never gave assent to the Act in the parliamentary standing committee. They can get the minutes of the meeting and the truth will be revealed.”

The parliamentary standing committee, which was constituted on the farm laws, had 31 members from 14 parties, most of them were from the parties belonging to the NDA led by the BJP, he said. “In the standing committee, all opposition parties, including AAP, had rejected the new laws,” said Mann.

“Those who were praising the black farm laws are now defaming those opposed it,” said the Sangrur MP, adding that he had raised voice against the farm laws in the Lok Sabha and have said the same thing in the standing committee meet.

Stating that this was not the first time that Mann had compromised the interests of farmers, Romana said earlier when the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill was presented for approval in Parliament, the AAP parliamentarian had tactically staged a walk out under an understanding with corporate houses. “Later, he falsely claimed that no voting took place. He has again backstabbed the farmers by selling their interests to corporate houses,” alleged Romana.

He said Mann had attended the meeting of the parliamentary standing committee and his name was listed in the minutes of the meeting.