Amritsar, Sep 23 (IANS) Cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu, who has been lying low since his resignation as Punjab Minister in July last year, on Wednesday hit the streets of his hometown to resume his connect with the people by launching a protest against the “black” farm laws passed by the Parliament.
The Congress MLA slammed the BJP-led Central government over the three agricultural Bills, saying they would ruin the farming community.
“Another draconian Bill is in waiting, which is the Electricity (Amendment) Bill of 2020,” he said.
“Once it is implemented, it will be the last nail in the coffin and destroy Punjab’s agriculture model. The draft (of the Bill) is ready. They will now implement it,” Sidhu said.
The passage of the Electricity (Amendment) Bill would empower the Centre to control the regulation of power, he said.
“With the passage of the Bill, the Centre would scrap all the power subsidies extended to the farmers,” he claimed.
Sidhu alleged that the Centre wanted to replace Punjab’s successful “mandi” model into the free market model like in the US and Europe.
“The scrapping of the ‘mandi’ system would impact state’s revenue to the tune of Rs 4,000 crore per annum,” he warned.
Terming farmers “the pride and identity of every Punjabi”, Sidhu asked the farmers to prepare for a struggle against the government which has “snatched their rights”.
–IANS
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