AAP amps stand favouring MSP

Ravi S Singh
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, December 1

With the assembly elections in five states, including Punjab where it has high stakes, in the offing, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday amped up its stand for statutory backing for MSP on agricultural produce.

It cautioned the government not to drag feet on the farmers’ demands, including for legal status to MSP in the current session of Parliament.

AAP’s Chief Whip in Rajya Sabha Sushil Gupta said outside Parliament that the Union government’s move to repeal the three contentious farm laws, albeit after a year of protests, is welcome, but it must not shroud other demands of the farmers, including a law on MSP.

Besides, the government should consider compensation to families of farmers who lost their lives during the year-long protest, and withdraw criminal cases against large number of farmers for their participation in the protest.

“There is no merit in continuing with the cases registered against the farmers when the government has conceded that the farm laws were not just,” Gupta said.

The AAP has made an all-out effort to win the election in Punjab, and make a mark in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Goa which will also go to polls in February-March 2022.

Parties have already waded into their political manoeuvring via these elections.

With the ruling Congress in Punjab in tumult after quitting of Capt Amarinder Singh as chief minister in the wake of his sharp difference with party president Navjot Singh Sidhu, and now Sidhu’s alleged upmanship with incumbent Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, AAP sniffs a chance to win the election and form a government.

Punjab was the epicentre of the farmers’ protest against the farm laws. The AAP had supported the protest.

The party would not pass over further opportunity to endear itself among the farming community, even after annulment of the farm laws.

“The AAP had supported the farmers’ demand, and will back them all through,” Gupta said.

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