Ludhiana MP Ravneet Bittu accuses Modi govt of taking ‘revenge’ on people of Punjab through procurement

Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 24

Ludhiana MP Ravneet Singh Bittu on Wednesday accused the Narendra Modi government of taking “revenge on farmers of Punjab through procurement because they did not agree to the three central farm laws”. 

Raising the issue related to the FCI seeking land records of farmers for direct online payment of Minimum Support Price (MSP) to their bank accounts from the upcoming marketing season, Punjab’s Congress MP said even as festival of happiness, Baisakhi, is approaching 15 lakh farmers of state are “looking towards the Central government” because they had been “ordered” to change the APMC law of 40 years. “How is it possible to change the 40-year-old relationship between farmers and arhtiyas,” he said in the Lok Sabha as a Zero Hour mention.  

Regarding providing land records, Ravneet Singh also questioned  “how computerised details can be provided so suddenly”. “Procurement is starting next week…how can it be done so fast,” he added.

Asking the Centre to “wake-up” to Punjab’s issues, Ravneet Singh said “Bhagat Singh kissed the gallows for his cause but he was the same man who bombed the Assembly. Wake up….do not do this with us (Punjab’ farmers). So many farmers are NRIs, some have given their land on contract, some are out of Punjab due to their jobs. Because we did not agree to the three farm Acts, you will take revenge on us through procurement…. we will not tolerate this”.