Chandigarh
Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has urged farmers to reciprocate the Union Home Minister’s gesture by accepting his appeal to shift to a designated place, thus paving the way for early talks to resolve their issues.
Reacting to Amit Shah’s offer to hold discussions with farmers at the earliest, Captain Amarinder said it was in the best interest of the farming community and the nation at large. Shah’s offer to advance talks with farmers from December 3, and his statement reflecting the Centre’s willingness to listen to the farmers was a welcome step, said the Chief Minister, stressing that the only solution to the current stalemate on the Farm Laws issue was discussion.
Since the Home Minister had made it clear that the Government of India was “ready to deliberate on every problem and demand” of the farmers, and would hold talks the day after the farmers shifted to the designated site in Delhi for their protest, the Kisan leaders should also move forward, said the Chief Minister. Only by sitting across the table can both sides come to a solution to the problem, he added.
Pointing out that the purpose of their protest was not to block highways and inconvenience people but to pressurise the Central Government to listen to their voice, the Chief Minister said the farmers had already won half the battle by bringing the Union Government to the negotiating table without further delay. In the circumstances, the farmers should grab the Union Home Minister’s offer and make the most of the opportunity to resolve the crisis triggered by the central laws.
He and his government were prepared to extend their full support to these negotiations, and were willing to mediate in the collective interest of all, Captain Amarinder reiterated. It was in Punjab’s interest, and that of every Punjabi, to find an early solution to the problem, he added.
