CHANDIGARH: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday called for a united nationwide initiative for the setting up of a genuinely federal structure in the country.
In a letter of solidarity with West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee on the eve of the TMC Kisan rally, Badal said that Punjab and West Bengal had always led the nation’s fight for genuine fiscal executive and political autonomy to the states for making India a strong federal country.
“We must continue with this tradition and invite more like-minded parties to take a stand for a genuine federal structure in the country in keeping with the sentiments of our Constitution makers. For too long have we allowed the powers of the states to be eroded in one way or another due to which things have come to such a pass that the centre has also legislated on a state subject—agriculture, which has resulted in the ongoing kisan mass movement in the country,” he added.
While extending his best wishes to Mamata Banerjee for the success of her fight for farmer rights, Badal also congratulated her for sending a five-member team of TMC MPs to hold talks with protesting farmers as well as interacting directly with the farmer leaders on Wednesday.
“You have also strengthened the farmer agitation by announcing a series of street protests from next week to demand revocation of the three agricultural laws. This will go a long way in making the farmer movement a truly national movement,” he added.
“SAD has made super sacrifices both for the farmers’ cause as well as for the pressing issue of federalism. Both issues require a joint national effort on the part of regional and right thinking national parties. I am confident that with the forceful support you have lent to the farmer agitation, our joint effort to force the BJP-led Central government to repeal the farmer laws will meet with the desired success,” Badal said.
The SAD president also informed the TMC leader that the party had formed a three-member sub-committee to coordinate with like-minded parties on this issue. He said besides meeting the TMC chairperson, the committee members had also met Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar.