Punjab's all major political parties resolve to meet PM Modi on agri ordinances

CHANDIGARH: All major political parties of Punjab on Wednesday resolved to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union agriculture minister on the issue of farm ordinances.
According to the government's press release they resolved to appeal to the Centre to immediately withdraw them in public interest, and not to tinker with the MSP regime.
At a marathon five-hour all-party meeting through video conferencing convened by Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh, the BJP completely opposed the resolution.
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), while initially expressing reservations on the same, eventually decided to partially endorse it, choosing to go with the other parties in resolving "that existing assured purchase under MSP regime and the State APMCs should not be tinkered with in any manner." The SAD also decided to support the decision of all parties to take a delegation to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union agriculture minister on the issue, said an official spokesperson. However, later in the evening, SAD leader Daljit Singh Cheema tweeted that the statement released by the Punjab government on the SAD's stand was "false and totally misleading." He added that both SAD and BJP were on the same page and firmly conveyed that these acts have nothing to do with MSP and procurement.
SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal, meanwhile, said the party was ready to make any sacrifice for the welfare of the farmers. He accused Congress of making an attempt to politicize the central ordinances on agriculture and said that for his party no ministerial berth or alliance was beyond the welfare of the farmers. "We are also committed to federalism and we find it shocking that the Congress party which has systematically demolished it is now talking about it now," he said. He assured the all party meeting that MSP on food grains would not be withdrawn.