Former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday hailed the successful completion of a farmers' agitation at Delhi's borders against three contentious agriculture laws of the Centre as they headed back home after 380 days.
He hailed the culmination of the farmers' agitation of "tapp", "tyaag" and "tapasya".
"It was their discipline, dedication, determination and perseverance that saw the movement reaching its logical conclusion with the government of India eventually repealing these laws," Singh said in a statement while congratulating and welcoming thousands of farmers back home in Punjab.
He also hoped that the Punjab government would fulfil all the commitments made to the farmers in the Congress party's poll manifesto.
"I have already fulfilled most of these promises and the onus is now on the incumbent government to fulfil the pending commitments before the election code of conduct comes into force," the former chief minister said.
The Punjab Assembly polls are due early next year.
Singh, who has floated his own political party to contest the upcoming polls after his unceremonious exit as the chief minister, was succeeded by Charanjit Singh Channi.
Expressing satisfaction over the resolution of the farmers' issue, Singh recalled how a year ago, he personally got himself involved with the movement and encouraged the farmers to take their protest to Delhi.
"I am happy that our purpose has been served and the laws have been repealed to the satisfaction of our farming community," he said.
The former chief minister said he was on course to fulfil all the pending demands of the farmers, but "unfortunately, first because of Covid-19 and then due to my replacement, some demands still remain unfulfilled, which the new government must fulfil now".
He reiterated his resolve to serve and safeguard the interests of common Punjabis, especially the farmers, at any cost.
"I want to reassure my farmer brothers and sisters that I won't hesitate in taking any step when it comes to watching Punjab's and farmers' interests the way I did in 2004, when I repealed all previous water-sharing agreements with other states with the Punjab Termination of (Water Sharing) Agreement Act, 2004 to save our waters and also save Punjab from going dry," Singh said.
Farmers from Punjab and Haryana were accorded a rousing welcome with sweets and garlands at several places on their return journey from the national capital on Saturday for their "victory" after the Centre repealed the three farm laws.
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of over 40 farmers' unions, decided on Thursday to suspend the year-long movement against the three laws and announced that the farmers would go home from the protest sites at Delhi's borders on Saturday.
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