Sidhu attacks SAD, AAP over farm laws; AAP calls him ”Rakhi Sawant of Punjab politics”

PTI, Sep 17, 2021, 7:33 PM IST

Chandigarh: Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu on Friday slammed the Shiromani Akali Dal and the Aam Aadmi Party over the Centre’s contentious farm laws, accusing them of staging a drama over the issue.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) hit back at Sidhu, calling him “Rakhi Sawant of Punjab politics”, comparing him to an actor.

Sidhu on Wednesday too had attacked the Badals of the Shiromani Akali Dal, accusing them of laying the foundation of the Centre’s farm laws over which farmers are protesting for the past several months.

The SAD led by its president Sukhbir Singh Badal and former Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal held a protest march against the laws in Delhi on Friday to mark the first anniversary of the passage of the laws, prompting police to detain both leaders.

Attacking the SAD, Sidhu once again alleged that they were “creators and defenders” of the “black laws”.

“The creators and defenders of the black laws are shedding crocodile tears today!!. Your drama stands exposed..#Black Day,” Sidhu tweeted.

Sidhu also attacked the Aam Aadmi Party, alleging that the Arvind Kejriwal government in Delhi had last year notified one of the farm laws even when farmers were sitting at the borders of national capital protesting against the legislations.

In a video message on his Twitter handle, Sidhu said the AAP staged a drama of tearing copies of the central farm laws in the Delhi Assembly.

“Exploitation of farmers and decreasing prices even on crops where MSP is announced–@Arvind Kejriwal Ji you notified the Private Mandi’s central black law! Has it been de-notified or the masquerading is still going on..?” Sidhu said in another tweet.

Hitting back, AAP leader Raghav Chadha said, “The Rakhi Sawant of Punjab politics–Navjot Singh Sidhu–has received a scolding from the Congress high command for non-stop rant against Capt (Amarinder).”

“Therefore today, for a change, he went after Arvind Kejriwal. Wait till tomorrow for he shall resume his diatribe against Capt with vehemence,” Chadha tweeted.

Earlier on Wednesday, Sidhu had alleged that one of the Centre’s laws is a “photostat copy” of the Punjab Contract Farming Act, 2013 enacted during the previous SAD-BJP government led by Parkash Singh Badal.

The Amritsar MLA had also claimed that the Badals initially supported the central laws and then took a U-turn after facing heat from farmers.

His remarks had drawn a sharp reaction from the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), which asked if Sidhu ever objected to the state Act as a minister in the Congress government or later.

The SAD in a statement earlier said Sidhu is trying to “befool” people by raking up old issues to cover up his party”s failures.