Former Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Saturday hailed the successful completion of the farmers’ agitation along the Delhi borders as they headed back home after 380 days of a successful movement against the contentious farm laws which were repealed recently by the Centre.
“It was their discipline, dedication, determination, and perseverance that saw the movement reaching its logical conclusion with the government of India eventually repealing these laws”, Amarinder said in a statement while congratulating and welcoming thousands of farmers back home to Punjab, today.
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At the same time, the former CM hoped the Punjab government would fulfill all its commitments made to the farmers in the Congress party’s manifesto before the elections.
“I have already fulfilled most of these promises and the onus is now on the incumbent government to fulfill the pending commitments before the election code of conduct comes into force”, he said.
Expressing complete satisfaction with the resolution of the issue, Amarinder said a year ago he had personally got himself involved with the farmers’ movement and supported and encouraged them to take their protest to Delhi.
“I am happy that our purpose has been served and the laws have been repealed to the satisfaction of our farming community”, he said.
The former CM said he was already on course to fulfill all the pending demands of the farmers. But, he added, “unfortunately, first because of Covid and then due to my replacement some demands still remain unfulfilled which the new government must fulfill now”.
Amarinder reiterated his resolve to serve and safeguard the interests of common Punjabis, the farmers in particular at any cost.
“Today I want to reassure my farmer brothers and sisters that I won’t hesitate in taking any step when it comes to watching Punjab’s and farmer’s interests the way I did in 2004 when I repealed all previous water-sharing agreements with other states, with the Punjab Termination of (Water Sharing) Agreement Act, 2004 to save our waters and also save Punjab from going dry and desert”, he said.
More than a year after they arrived in large convoys of tractors, several protesting farmers on Saturday morning began returning to their home states, taking with them a victory to cherish and memories of a successful siege at Delhi’s borders.
The farmers lifted blockades on highways at Singhu, Tikri, and Ghazipur borders and took out a ‘Victory march’ to celebrate the repeal of three contentious farm laws and the Centre’s written assurance to fulfill their other demands, including constituting a committee for the legal guarantee on minimum support price (MSP) for crops.