Shiromani Akali Dal MP Prem Singh Chandumajra on Sunday said Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray agrees with his party on the issue of the Centre’s alleged interference into the “rights of state governments” in fields like education, agriculture and law and order.
Talking to reporters, Mr Chandumajra, who met the Chief Minister on Sunday, said Mr Thackeray, who is also president of the Shiv Sena, supported the Akali Dal’s stand on the farmers’ protest.
Alleging that revenues of states were being diluted, Mr Chandumajra said there was a need for regional parties to unite against “attempts to centralise” the country’s politics.
The Shiv Sena snapped ties with the BJP after the Maharashtra Assembly polls last year over the issue of sharing the chief ministerial post.
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) quit the BJP-led NDA in September this year to protest against the centre’s new agri-marketing laws. Thousands of farmers are sitting on various borders of New Delhi since November 26 against the laws and have called for a ”Bharat Bandh” on December 8.
“If states are strong, the nation will be stronger. If states are weak, the country will be weaker. Today, the country’s political system is being centralised. The Shiromani Akali Dal is for federalism,” Mr Chandumajra said.
“Even Uddhav Thackeray is of the view that rights of states need to be protected,” he said.
Regional parties need to be united, the leader said. “Thackeray agrees with the Akali Dal on the issue of central government’s interferencein state governments’ rights in education, agriculture and law and order,” he said, while alleging that “revenues of states are being diluted”.
Mr Chandumajra met Mr Thackeray at “Varsha”, the official residence of Maharashtra’s Chief Minister. He said Mr Thackeray supported the Akali Dal’s stand on the ongoing farmers’ protest.
Farmers have expressed apprehension that the new laws would pave the way for eliminating the safety cushion of Minimum Support Price and do away with the mandis, leaving them at the mercy of big corporates.
The centre has repeatedly asserted that these mechanisms will remain.
“We want the ongoing talks to succeed. Otherwise, all political parties should unite in two weeks and discuss the future strategy. Laws for farmers were made without asking them. People for whom the laws are made are angry and are protesting on roads,” Mr Chandumajra said.
He said parties will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Ram Nath Kovind on the issue.
“Political parties will meet to discuss the future strategy. Thackeray agreed to attend the political parties’ meeting in Delhi,” he said.
A statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Office said the Akali Dal leader stressed during the meeting that the farm laws were against the interests of farmers.
Mr Thackeray said farmers are the “backbone of the country” and resolving their problems and difficulties should be the government’s priority, as per the statement.
