Punjab Prime Minister Amarinder Singh on Friday welcomed the Center’s decision to allow farmers from his state and Haryana, who were protesting against the three agricultural laws enacted earlier this year, to enter Delhi and continue their demonstration peacefully. . Punjab’s chief minister also renewed his call on the Center to initiate talks with farmers to solve the problem that is brewing.
“The Center should now move rapidly towards holding more talks with the Kisan unions to solve the problem caused by the agricultural laws that have threatened the lives and livelihoods of farmers,” Singh said in a statement.
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Singh’s comments came minutes after Delhi Police Commissioner SN Shrivastava said that farmer agitators will be allowed to enter the national capital and hold a peaceful protest at Nirankari Samagam Ground in the Burari area of the city. Hoping for a possible challenge to law and order, the Delhi police asked the state government for permission to convert nine of the city’s stadiums into temporary detention centers for protesting farmers. However, the Arvind Kejriwal government rejected the request.
Singh also criticized the Manohar Khattar-led government in Haryana for its use of force to detain farmers despite the Center’s assent. “Although the central government has allowed farmers to enter the national capital to exercise their democratic right to protest, the Haryana government is engaged in a confrontational approach against farmers heading towards Delhi,” he said.
Commenting on the police action on the agitated farmers upon arrival in Haryana, the Chief Minister of Punjab said: “What is the need for such harsh measures? This barbarism must end right now @mlkhattar ji. ““ The farmers did not inflict an iota of damage on any public property during the last three months of their protest, and here is a state government that is shamelessly and shamelessly digging roads made with public money, “he added.
Thousands of farmers from northern states, including Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, are heading towards Delhi as part of their “Dilli Chalo” protest march. On Thursday, Punjab farmers broke through barricades and made their way into Haryana, challenging tear gas shells and water cannons en route to Delhi, where security was tightened to prevent them from entering the capital.
After a major drama unfolded in Haryana by the police action, farmers from Punjab and Haryana gathered in Panipat on Friday and jointly resumed their march to Delhi for an indefinite protest against the agricultural laws: The trade in agricultural products and the trade (promotion and facilitation) Act 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Guarantee and the Agricultural Services Act 2020 and the Essential Products (Amendment) Act 2020, passed by Parliament during the session monsoon in September.
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has decided to step up its push to reach out to farmers across the country in a bid to allay concerns about farm legislation. Concerned about the impact the fight will have on the ground, senior ministers have also been urged to initiate a dialogue with farmers’ unions to stop the uproar.
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