CHANDIGARH: The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) said on Tuesday that it was unfortunate that the Punjab chief minister had thrown the ball in the Centre’s court by passing bills concerning trade and commerce which were in the concurrent list and required presidential assent.
SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia said though all parties presented a united stand in the fight against the Centre but it was unfortunate that the Congress government did not share the proposed Bills with all the stakeholders, including farmers and legislators, before the House was convened.
“It would have been better if the government had passed a bill under the agriculture head by moving to make the entire state a single principle market yard to negate the implementation of the Centre’s laws in Punjab. Any such bill would have received both the governor’s as well as the President’s nod being a state subject. A huge opportunity has been missed,” said Majithia, while addressing mediapersons on Tuesday evening.
He also said that he had requested in the state assembly that the Acts of 2006 and 2017 which had weakened the state APMC Act should be repealed. Majithia said this was also in line with the sentiments of Punjabis and it was baffling that the government refused to rise to the occasion and take a firm stand to protect APMC markets.