Aam Aadmi Party MLAs in Punjab staged a sit-in protest inside the state Legislative Assembly building on Monday as they charged the Congress government for not sharing the draft of a new agriculture law. The MLAs even spent the night in the Assembly building to lodge their protest against the government's behaviour.
The AAP is the principal opposition party in Punjab. The party has 19 MLAs in 117-member House.
The AAP MLAs are demanding from the government to share the draft copy of the proposed law with them. The law is likely to be tabled in the Legislative Assembly today.
The law in the question is likely to the counter the Centre's three farm laws -- Essential Commodities Act, The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, 2020, and The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance, 2020. The opposition parties are arguing that the Modi government is trying to hand over the farming sector to corporates. They are alleging that farmers will not get benefit of the MSP.
Harpal Cheema, leader of opposition in the Punjab Assebly, said that the AAP will support the legislation against the farm laws."But the government should supply us with its copies. We haven't got copies of other bills as well. How can our legislators discuss and debate important issues?" Cheema said.
Earlier, Finance and acting Parliamentary Affairs Minister Manpreet Singh Badal said the state government is consulting constitutional experts on the issue of legislation to counter the new farm laws. Manpreet assured that copies of various bills to be tabled during the two-day session will be given to the opposition parties.
Notably, four years ago when Congress was in opposition in Punjab, their party MLAs had spent the night in the Punjab Legislative Assembly seeking a debate on the no-confidence motion against the ruling SAD-BJP combine, which was defeated by voice vote, and had refused to vacate the House till the government gave an assurance that a discussion will be allowed on it.
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