Four Independent MLAs meet Khattar, discuss farmers' issue

Four Independent MLAs from Haryana met Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Tuesday. The MLAs urged that the deadlock between protesting farmers and the Centre over the new agriculture laws should be solved as early as possible.

Chandigarh: Four Independent MLAs from Haryana met Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Tuesday evening and urged that the deadlock between protesting farmers and the Centre over the new agriculture laws be resolved at the earliest.

These legislators along with another Independent MLA, Sombir Sangwan, and a JJP MLA, Jogi Ram Sihag, who has been vocal on farmers' issues, met in Panchkula in the afternoon, before the meeting with the chief minister.

The MLAs who met Khattar were Nayan Pal Rawat, Randhir Singh Gollen, Rakesh Daultabad and Dharam Pal Gonder.

Later in the evening, barring Sangwan, who had recently withdrawn support to the Khattar government dubbing it "anti-farmer", and JJP's Sihag, the four other legislators met Khattar at his residence here.

The luncheon meeting by Independent MLAs over farmers' issue assumes significance as majority of the ruling BJP's ally JJP have already openly come out in support of the farmers protesting against the Centre's new farm laws.

After they met Khattar, Independent legislator from Prithla, Nayan Pal Rawat told PTI that "we took up the issue with the chief minister and requested him that many days have passed (since farmers have been on protest near Delhi's borders) and a solution to the issue should be found at the earliest."

"His reply was that the top leadership of the NDA government too wants an early resolution to the issue and has already agreed to many demands of the farmers," he said.

Opining on farmers' issue, Rawat said, If you are to ask me, I am in favour of these laws because I believe Prime Minister Modi ji and Khattar ji will never take any step or frame any such law which is against the interests of people including farmers."

"I think it is a conspiracy of opposition parties that farmers are being misled. But now the thing is that the solution to the issue has to be found and we were told that government is already doing best it can, said Rawat.

Sihag, who along with another JJP MLA Ramkaran Kala, had joined a group of Haryana farmers in September in their protest against the farm laws, said there was no pre-schedule to join the luncheon meeting.

"I dropped casually and then we all sat together and discussed the farmers issue. As you know, right from start, I supported the farmers," he said.

He told PTI that he did not have any meeting scheduled with the chief minister and therefore, he did not join the others.

Rawat said that the four MLAs had a dinner meeting scheduled with Chief Minister Khattar, but as couple of MLAs had to go early, so four of us met the CM over evening tea at his residence.

On the ruling Congress in Punjab, Rawat said, if they are so concerned about farmers welfare, then why are they objecting to giving SYL waters to Haryana farmers.

PTI