BJP 'punishing' us with NCT Bill for supporting farmers, says CM

New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party chief and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday, while speaking at the Kisan Mahapanchayat in Haryana's Jind, took sharp aim at the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Centre, saying that the Union government was punishing the Delhi government through the GNCTD Bill, 2021, which hands more executive powers to the L-G 's office, simply for his, his party's and his government's support to farmers protesting against the Centre's three farm laws.

The CM added that he will continue to support the farmer's protest at any cost and said that the Parliament passed a bill stating that the elected government officials and the Chief Minister would have no power- all of which is to be given to the Lieutenant Governor. "Is this why we fought for Independence?" he asked.

"When this Bill was being discussed in the Parliament, Sushil Gupta was present there. Every MP of BJP stood up and said that the Kejriwal government supported the farmers for which we want to punish them," he added.

The CM said that even today, he has not changed one bit and is working with the same honesty, and so all other political parties are against him. He said that he would support the farmers' protest till the end, no matter what price he had to pay for it.

"Today, I was told that farmers have resorted to 'chakka jam' in entire Haryana. We are with the farmers in their struggle," he said.

"No matter what price I have to pay I would support the farmers' protest till the end. Doesn't matter how much time it takes but the BJP government would have to concede to the demands of the farmers," he added.

Kejriwal said that the farmers of Punjab and Haryana have provided the leadership needed to fight for the cause of the farmers, against the three black laws. "The entire country is with you. I am related to Aam Aadmi but the entire country is with you, all farmers are with you," the chief minister said.

He also reminded the farmers that his party-led government had provided water and sanitation facilities to the protesting farmers even though they faced flack from the Central government.

He said, "I would like to tell them that 300 farmers were martyred and even if I lose my life in this protest, I am not scared of your punishments."

"All of the other leaders and parties want me to become like them - gain a little myself and let them gain too. Then they would not have taken away my powers or be against me," he added.