Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh took swipes at each other on Twitter over the agriculture bills passed by Punjab assembly on Tuesday with former accusing the latter of “enacting a drama” and “befooling people”.
The war of words began after Kejriwal responded to a tweet by CMO Punjab in which Amarinder Singh accused both the Aam Aadmi Party and Shiromani Akali Dal of “double standards”.
“Amazed at double standards of SAD & AAP, says @capt_amarinder Singh on their criticism of state’s bills after backing them in the House. CM asks @ArvindKejriwal to follow Punjab’s examples to bring out similar bills to save farmers,” Punjab CMO said.
In his response, Kejrwal asked if a state can amend laws of the Centre. He addressed the Punjab chief minister as “Raja Sahib”.
“Raja Sahib, you amended the laws of the Centre. Can a state change the laws of the Centre? No. You resorted to drama, mislead the people. The laws that you passed yesterday, will the farmers of Punjab get MSP after that? No. Farmers need MSP not your false laws,” Kejriwal said.
“Raja Sahib, do not betray the farmers of Punjab. If you want real benefit of the farmers, then pass an MSP law that the crop the central government does not pick up on MSP, the Punjab government will take it on MSP,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}“Raja Sahib, do not betray the farmers of Punjab. If you want real benefit of the farmers, then pass an MSP law that the crop the central government does not pick up on MSP, the Punjab government will take it on MSP,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}Hitting back, Amarinder Singh made a series of tweets and said Kejriwal’s reaction smacks of total ignorance and he should have done his homework before rushing to make remarks.
“Your reaction smacks of total ignorance ArvindKejriwal though I can’t blame you as Delhi is not really a state. But I expected you to do homework before rushing to react to my remarks, that were made in interest of farmers, who I thought you might have some concern for.
“And frankly, ArvindKejriwal I thought you knew your Constitution, which clearly says that u/Article 254 (II) states can seek amendment to central laws for local & contextual needs, as has been done in many cases, specially in CPC & CrPC laws. Maybe you could check it now!
“So instead of questioning my govt’s Bills why don’t you get out of your IT mindset and ask your AAPPunjab unit to back us in our fight for farmers, unless their support to our Bills was just a facade? The ball is in your court - are you with farmers or against them?” he said.
Kejriwal accused the Punjab chief minister of betraying farmers and said the Centre is not going to accept the amendments made by the state government.
“Raja Sahib, you are accepting yourself that the state government cannot change the laws of the Centre. The central government is not going to accept your amendments. Then what did you distribute laddus yesterday? Cheated the farmers? First, you cheated by making an anti-farmer bill sitting in the committee of the Centre. And now this second betrayal?” he said.
Punjab Assembly on Tuesday passed a resolution rejecting three farm laws enacted by the central government as also the proposed Electricity Amendment Bill with the chief minister later leading a delegation to the Governor VP Singh Badnore urging him to give his assent to three bills passed by the assembly.
Punjab is the first state to reject the three farm laws which were enacted after passage of relevant bills in the monsoon session of parliament last month.
The assembly passed three bills “unanimously” to “protect MSP and check hoarding of foodgrains”.
The House also passed by voice vote an amendment to CrPC for exempting farmers from the attachment of land up to 2.5 acres.
The assembly passed Farmers’ (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services (Special Provisions and Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2020, the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) (Special Provisions and Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Special Provisions and Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2020.