Arvind Kejriwal, Amarinder Singh trade barbs over new farm laws

Earlier in the day, Kejriwal criticised the Punjab CM for mocking his fast by calling it “theatrics”.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh were on Monday locked in a political slugfest over contentious farm laws that have prompted protests across the country, questioning each other’s intent on supporting farmers who have hunkered down at the Capital’s borders, even as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader observed a day-long fast to oppose the pieces of legislation.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal addresses the gathering in presence of other senior AAP leaders during a Community Fasting in solidarity with protesting farmers, at AAP party office in DDU Marg, New Delhi on Monday. (Vipin Kumar/HT PHOTO)

Kejriwal said the new farm laws will lead to immense inflation and will only favour a few capitalists, as he termed them “anti-farmer and anti-common man”. The Delhi CM, who joined AAP leaders, ministers, MLAs and volunteers at the party office for the fast in support of the protesting farmers, said the new farm laws “gives licence to inflate”.

Addressing party workers at the AAP headquarters on Rouse Avenue Road, Kejriwal said the three farm laws will increase the prices of essential commodities by “about 16 times in just four years” and added that the new legislation legalised unlimited hoarding of farm produce.

Earlier in the day, Kejriwal criticised the Punjab CM for mocking his fast by calling it “theatrics”.

“Captain, I have stood with the farmers from the beginning. Did not let Delhi’s Stadium become a jail, fought the Center. I am supporting the farmers by serving them. You set-up a deal with the Centre to get your son’s ED (Enforcement Directorate) case forgiven, sold the farmers’ movement? Why?” Kejriwal said in a tweet in Hindi.

In response, Singh said he cannot be “cowed down” by any ED case. “Just as every Punjabi knows, I am not one to be cowed down by ED or other cases, you Mr @ArvindKejriwal will even sell your soul if it serves your political purposes. If you think farmers are going to be taken in by your dramatics then you are totally mistaken,” Singh tweeted.

Kejriwal said that the Punjab CM was “part of the committee which drafted these bills. These Bills are YOUR ‘gift’ to the nation.” “Captain sahib, why do BJP leaders never accuse u of double standards the way they accuse all other leaders?” he added.

Singh said Kejriwal’s “desperate” attempts to “hide” his government’s “utter failure” to protect farmers’ interests will not save him from their wrath, nor will they safeguard his party from being decimated in the next Punjab assembly elections.

To this, the Punjab CM said: “These farm laws were NOT discussed at any meeting & your repeated lies will not change that Mr @ArvindKejriwal. And naturally BJP can’t accuse me of double standards as I don’t have any nexus with them like you have. They after all have to cover up their collusion with you!”

Kejriwal responded to Singh again, saying: “Its a part of record that ur committee drafted these laws. YOU had the power to stop these laws, tell the people of this country that such laws were being contemplated by the centre. Why did u go along wid the centre?”

Joining the day-long fast by AAP leaders later in the day, Kejriwal said the laws will give “big private companies” the licence to rapidly increase prices of commodities. “These laws will cause massive price hike in the country and running your households will become very difficult as salaries won’t increase at the same rate. Do not think that you are doing any favour to the farmers by supporting them in their protest. In fact, the protesting farmers are doing a favour to all of us. If not rolled back, these laws will push the common man into a major crisis. We all need to protest against these laws. The AAP is standing beside farmers and supporting their demands,” he said.

The day-long hunger strike was also observed by Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, health minister Satyendar Jain, environment minister Gopal Rai and food minister Imran Hussain. Many other AAP leaders and volunteers also joined the protest across different states in support of the farmers, the party said.

Delhi assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel also observed a day-long fast. BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra criticised Kejriwal for his hunger strike. “The farmers’ movement has become a battle of political groups, not farmers. Look at the AAP and Captain Amarinder Singh’s tweet war, they are fighting each other. Do you think they are fighting for the interest of farmers? No, they are fighting to see who can sit on the throne without doing any work,” he said.