CHANDIGARH: Slamming the the new farm laws, Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Saturday asked the Centre to accept the farmers' demand of repealing the legislations without further delay.
Badal also asked Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar to name one political party which is representative of farmers and has welcomed the three laws, instead of trying to "mislead" people in Parliament by giving the impression that the laws were acceptable to all.
Tomar on Friday had asserted that the government's offer to amend the new farm laws to assuage farmers' sentiments did not mean they had any flaws.
"The central government should not stand on prestige. Instead it should listen to the voice of farmers and repeal the laws without any further delay," said Badal in Amritsar.
Badal also hit out at Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, accusing him of acting "like a proxy" of the BJP by running away from his duty to locate Punjabi youth, who had been "missing" since the January 26.
The SAD president, in a statement here, said it was the CM's duty to forcefully take up this issue with the BJP-led central government.
"Amarinder Singh has failed to do this, making it clear that he is playing a fixed match with the central government and cannot be trusted to protect the rights of Punjabis," alleged Badal.
He said that the SAD along with the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Managing Committee (DSGMC) is not only committed to tracing all "missing" youth but will also ensure discrimination is not done against the youth who have been "unfairly arrested and jailed after being slapped with false cases".
On the February 14 municipal polls, Badal said the entire process has become a "farce".
"It would have been better if the Congress government had nominated its persons to the corporations and councils instead of resorting to the pretence of holding elections," alleged Badal.
He accused the Congress of "running away" from holding free and fair polls, alleging that the ruling party is "misusing" the official machinery to reject the nomination papers of the opposition, besides "intimidating them with violent acts".
Badal said it is unfortunate that a large number of civil and police officials are "dancing" to the tunes of the Congress legislators and are "becoming a party to the murder of democracy".
"The officers indulging in these malpractices will be held to account and action will be taken against them once the SAD forms the government in the state," he added.