No question of sabotaging farmers’ stir, but saving lives priority, says Capt

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday made it clear that there was no question of sabotaging the farmers’ agitation against farm laws, but his current priority was saving the lives of Punjabis during the second Covid-19 wave.

The remarks came a day after he said that farm unions cannot dictate terms to state government, asking the state police to act against those violating Covid curbs. On Saturday, he once again reiterated that no violation of the weekend lockdown and other restrictions in the state can be allowed.

“There are lives at stake, saving them is our priority, and it is the responsibility of every Punjabi to save them,” said the Chief Minister, urging BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) and BKU (Ekta Dakaounda) leaders not to give a twist to his comments on the issue.

Appealing to the farmers to extend all support and cooperation to the state government in its endeavour to combat the Covid crisis, the Chief Minister said the lives and safety of the people of Punjab were of paramount interest to his government. He reiterated that he would not allow anyone to further endanger the lives of Punjabis amid the escalating Covid crisis.

In a statement, he said, that the leaders of two farm organisations had misinterpreted his statement to raise doubts about his intentions towards the ongoing farmers’ stir.

“How can my government go against the interests of the farmers when it was the first in the country to move the amendment laws in the Vidhan Sabha to annul the draconian farm laws?” asked the Chief Minister, asserting that as far as the central laws were concerned, his government’s stand against them had been clear and consistent.

Noting that the situation in the state was extremely grim, the Chief Minister said that as on May 6, the state had 24-hour case load of 8,874 , 154 deaths, 265 patients admitted in isolation facility, 30 patients on High Dependency Unit and 16 on Ventilator Support. “This is not the time to play politics but to put all our energies into protecting the life of every human being,” he said.

At the moment, his government was completely focused on saving the lives of the people, while ensuring that they do not suffer due to the harsh measures, the CM added.