Akali Dal plans Parliament march, no poll yatra for now

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 11

While keeping the ‘Gal Punjab Di’ yatra temporarily suspended, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today decided to observe September 17 as a ‘Black Day’ to mark the completion of one year of enactment of the three farm laws.

In a statement issued here today, party senior vice-president Daljit Singh Cheema said party workers alongside farmers would hold a march from Gurdwara Rakabganj to Parliament demanding repeal of the three laws on September 17. Cheema said the decision was taken at a meeting of party MLAs, district presidents, halqa sewadars and members of the core committee here today. Party president Sukhbir Singh Badal presided over the meeting.

Deliberations under way

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We are holding further consultations with party workers and leaders on how and when to restart the ‘Gal Punjab Di’ yatra. —Daljit Singh Cheema, SAD senior vice-president

“We are holding further consultations with party workers and leaders on how and when to restart the ‘Gal Punjab Di’ yatra,” said Cheema. The Akalis had halted the yatra after members of the Kisan Morcha protested against the campaign.

The Kisan Morcha leaders had on Friday held meetings with various political parties, including the Akalis, and asked them to defer election campaign till the elections schedule was announced. With the fresh decision, the Akali Dal aims to avoid confrontation with the farmers.

Cheema said on September 17 last year, party MPs Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Sukhbir Singh Badal had opposed the passage of the three farm laws in Parliament and they were the only MPs to vote against the Bills.

Later, Harsimrat resigned from the Cabinet and the SAD quit the NDA government before snapping its alliance with the ruling BJP.

Cheema said the Akali Dal was the only political party that had “sacrificed ministership and alliance for the cause of farmers” whereas others only claimed to have resignation letters in their pockets, which were never tendered. He said the SAD stood by the farmers in their cause and would continue to do so until the “black laws” were repealed.