Chandigarh, February 26
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) raised the significant issue of losses being suffered by Punjab’s industry and trade due to the closure of the Haryana-Punjab border highway. The party stated that the BJP government at the center not only wants to destroy Punjab’s farmers but is also trying to ruin the state's trade.
Addressing a press conference at the party office in Chandigarh on Tuesday along with AAP leader Pranav Dhawan, party spokesperson Neel Garg said that Punjab’s traders and businessmen are facing massive economic losses due to the border closure. Some of their representatives even met Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and requested the reopening of the highway.
Neel Garg said that this situation has arisen because Punjab’s farmers have been continuously sitting on the border for the past year, but the BJP government at the center is not listening to their demands at all. The BJP wants Punjabis to turn against each other so that the movement weakens and ends on its own.
Neel Garg appealed to all farmer unions and political parties to find a solution to this issue collectively and plan the movement in a way that it remains impactful while minimizing harm to Punjab’s traders and businessmen.
He said that if Punjab’s industry suffers, many people will become unemployed, and the government’s revenue will be severely affected as a significant amount of tax comes from the industry, which funds the state’s development and public welfare. It is our understanding that if the industry does not survive, Punjab will not survive. Therefore, we must find a way to protect both Punjab’s agriculture and trade.
The AAP spokesperson urged the Haryana government to remove the barricading from the highway and ensure the free movement of vehicles related to industry and trade. He also appealed to the central government to resolve the farmers’ demands at the earliest, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised a legal guarantee for MSP when the farm laws were repealed and should now fulfill that promise.
Neel Garg appreciated the Punjab government’s decision to reject the draft of the “Agriculture Marketing Policy” proposed by the central government in the Punjab Assembly. He said that from the very beginning, AAP has stood with the farmers and will continue to do so.
Garg stated that this draft is a direct attack on the rights of Punjab and its farmers. When the draft was initially sent by the central government, Punjab’s Agriculture Minister consulted all stakeholders, including farmer unions, labourers, commission agents (Arhtiyas), and other agricultural representatives. During these discussions, it became clear that the proposal was against Punjab’s interests and would harm farmers. Therefore, the AAP government introduced a resolution against it in the Assembly and rejected it.