Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh accused Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) state president Bhagwant Mann of spreading lies after he alleged a collusion between the Chief Minister and the Governor over sending the agriculture laws, passed unanimously in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha to negate the centre's farm laws, to the President.
"Slamming AAP state president Bhagwant Mann for speaking blatant lies, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Saturday said that it is unfortunate that people like him, who had no knowledge about the Constitution and legislative procedures, were in politics, and were making illogical statements with the sole motive of misleading the people," read a press statement from the Punjab Chief Minister's Office.
The chief minister said that the state government had already finalised requisite petitions for challenging the central Acts and would do so at an opportune time on the advice of legal experts.
"Just like his bosses, Mr Mann too has mastered the art of lying and deception but while doing so he has exposed his incompetence as a parliamentarian by making frivolous statements on matters pertaining to the Constitution and Legislative Procedures," said Captain Amarinder.
"You really have no knowledge of how Legislative work is done," the Chief Minister added.
"If you think that you can mislead the people of Punjab by your lies, you are utterly mistaken, as every Punjabi has seen through your webs of deceit and your betrayal of the farmers' cause," he said, adding that while his government's stand on the centre's farm laws had been consistent from day one, both AAP and Shiromani Akali Dal had been doing flip flops over it.
"One day you unanimously support our bills and your party leaders, including Leader of the Opposition, Harpal Singh Cheema, accompany me to the Governor and the very next day you do a somersault and start opposing them," said the chief minister.
The Chief Minister said that AAP's double face and its collusion with the BJP to weaken the farmers' agitation had been further exposed with Arvind Kejriwal meekly notifying one of the farm laws in Delhi rather than following Punjab's example of bringing in legislations in the assembly to negate the impact of the "black" farm laws.
The Chief Minister said that contrary to Mr Mann's claims, the state's Advocate General, Atul Nanda, had already prepared and finalised requisite petitions for challenging the three Central Acts. "Since these Acts impact the lives and futures of our farmers, all decisions will be taken carefully and judiciously at an opportune time."
Captain Amarinder said that although matters related to Agriculture are mentioned in List II (State List) of the Constitution and fall under the exclusive domain of the state government, the centre had enacted the three contentious Farm Laws under the provisions related to Agriculture Marketing mentioned in List III (Concurrent List).
"Being a central legislation, the State Government had limited options under Article 254(2) of the Constitution and it had exercised the same with the Punjab Assembly passing Bills to amend the Central Laws. As per the law of the land any Bills passed by the State Assembly are mandatorily required to be sent to the Governor, who after studying them has to give his consent for forwarding them to the President for approval," he said.
The chief minister said the state government was following the laid down procedures and would be talking remedial legal actions after exhausting other options.
He advised AAP and other opposition leaders to desist from spreading lies. "Unlike you, I don't consider the present crises being faced by our farmers an opportunity to further any political agenda. It concerns the future and lives of our farmers and I am fully committed to safeguarding them," he said.
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