Calls for Tota Singh’s resignation unjustified: Sukhbir Singh Badal

Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday defended Agriculture Minister Tota Singh, saying calls for his resignation, over the pesticide scam, were unjustified. “Why should  Tota Singh resign? We have already initiated an inquiry in which a few people have been indicted.  During the course of the probe, more names may be included; let the law take its course. Demands for the agriculture minister’s resignation are totally unjustified,” Sukhbir said in Ludhiana, where he attended a function to mark the second death anniversary of Tejinder Singh Makkar, SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar’s son.

The deputy CM also slammed the opposition for demanding Tota Singh’s resignation. “The Congress has never looked after farmer interests but is now shedding crocodile tears by demanding the agriculture minister’s resignation. They should introspect on what they have done for farmers when in power,” he said.

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Justifying the Rs  8,000 per acre compensation that Punjab has announced for cotton farmers affected by the White-fly pest, the deputy CM said the SAD-BJP government was doing all it could for farmers. “The White-fly attack on cotton crop has occurred in Punjab, Haryana and even in parts of Rajasthan. The damage is more widespread in Haryana than in Punjab. Despite this, we are giving the maximum compensation to farmers when compared to the other two states,” he said.

Sukhbir also accused the farmer unions of having politicised the issue. “Farmer unions are not fighting for common interest of farmers but for political gains. They should stop playing  politics over this sensitive issue,” he added.