Farm laws: With President refusing appointment, Punjab CM to lead dharna

Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh will lead a relay 'dharna' of Congress MLAs at Delhi's Rajghat on Wednesday following President Ram NathKovind's refusal to meet a delegation led by him over the Centre's farm laws.

The Chief Minister's Office had on on October 21 sought an appointment for Singh and his delegation with the President on November 4 to urge him to grant his assent to Punjab's farm bills passed last month by the state assembly in a bid to negate the Centre's three new agricultural laws.

But, the state government on Tuesday said the RashtrapatiBhavan declined the Chief Minister request for an appointment with the President.

The CM on Tuesday said the protest in Delhi will also highlight the power crisis and scarcity of essential supplies in the state due to the suspension of goods trains by the

Centre.

The Railways has stopped running trains to Punjab, saying the farmers protesting against the farm laws are still blocking some tracks. But the state government insists that they have eased the blockade and are allowing goods trains to run.

Several thermal power plants too have closed down in the state because of the lack of coal, the Punjab government said.

The CM said since section 144 of the CrPC -- which prohibits assembly of people -- is in force in the national capital, MLAs will go from Delhi's Punjab Bhawan to Mahatma Gandhi's 'samadhi' in groups of four to hold a relay

protest.

Singh will lead the first batch at 10.30 am. Apart from the MLAs from the ruling Congress, Singh has also urged Punjab legislators from other parties to participate.

Punjab assembly last month had passed three Bills to negate the Centre's three farm laws and had also passed an all-party resolution to seek an appointment with the President on November 4 or any other suitable date to request for his assent to the state's farm laws. The Chief Minister's Office (CMO), accordingly on October 21, had sent a letter to the RashtrapatiBhavan seeking a meeting and followed it up with a reminder on October

29.

The RashtrapatiBhavan, however, on Monday declined to grant the appointment to the chief minister and his delegation pointing out that the state farm Bills were still pending with the Punjab Governor for his consideration.

Following the RashtrapatiBhavan's rejection to the request, the CMO sent another letter on Monday itself stating that the chief minister and other MLAs needed to meet the President to draw his attention towards the situation in the state.