Rally being held against trade deal, scrapping of MGNREGA: Warring
Says, trade deal can have devastating impact on Punjab
Punjab Newsline, Chandigarh-
Punjab Congress will hold a massive public rally on February 28 at Barnala which will be attended among others by the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi.
Disclosing this here today, Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring said that the rally was being held against the scrapping of the MGNREGA and the signing of the trade deal with the United States which will have devastating impact on Punjab.
In an informal interaction with reporters here today, the PCC president said that while the new law on MGNREGA will impact the livelihood of the poor, the trade deal with the US will destroy Punjab’s farmers. He said, Punjab will be among the worst hit states since agriculture is the mainstay of its economy.
He also warned that the trade deal may have long-term impact and can pose multiple challenges. He said, as the trade deal has the potential to destroy local agriculture once the agricultural goods are allowed to be imported on ‘zero percent’ tariff, there will be no work or no jobs and no earnings for a majority of farmers in the state. They will be jobless, he said about the farmers.
“We are really concerned about such a situation if that happens” he warned while adding, such a situation can always be exploited by our enemies who are continuously trying to foment trouble in the state. He pointed out Punjab's youth were already falling prey to the drugs smuggled from Pakistan and the state cannot afford any other risks.
Warring refused to react to the charges leveled by expelled Congress leader Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu. “Given the state of her mind and health I don’t think I need to react or respond to what she has been saying”, he remarked while dismissing her charges.
The PCC president noted that Ms Sidhu was not the only one who was targeting him with baseless allegations and criticism. He pointed out even the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal, his brother in law Bikram Majithia and the state BJP president Sunil Jakhar had also been targeting him, apparently for the reason they saw Congress as the only and the common threat to their survival.