Punjab CM tells Centre to hold 'immediate talks' with farmers

Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh said the Central government should step in immediately to put an end to the "atrocities" being meted out to farmers protesting against farm laws.

Chandigarh (Punjab): Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Friday urged the Centre to immediately initiate talks with Kisan Unions to defuse the situation at border areas of Delhi amid the farmers' protest march against the farm laws.

"The voice of farmers cannot be muzzled indefinitely. The Centre should immediately initiate talks with Kisan Union leaders to defuse the tense situation at the Delhi borders. Why wait till December 3 when the situation is getting out of hand now?" the Chief Minister requested in a statement.

On Tuesday, the Centre had invited farmer unions from Punjab for another round of ministerial talks on December 3 to resolve differences over the farm laws. Singh asked the Centre to step in and put an end to the "atrocities" being meted out to farmers, who are agitating against the farm laws.

"The Government of India needs to step in immediately to put an end to the atrocities being meted out to the peacefully agitating farmers, who had not created any law and order problem or indulged in any instance of violence over the past three months of their protest over the farm laws," he alleged.

Expressing concerns over the situation that "use of brute force" by Haryana Police on farmers at the border areas, Singh said the farmers have the democratic and Constitutional right to go to their country's capital city to raise their voice and air their grievances.

"The way the Haryana Police has been teargassing and hurling water cannons at the farmers, who include old men and women and even children, is shocking," said the Chief Minister, adding that it showed the complete lack of care and concern by the Haryana government for the nation's 'annadatas'.

Urging the Central Government to show statesmanship and accept the farmers' demand for assured minimum support price (MSP), which is the basic right of every farmer, the Chief Minister said: "If they can give verbal assurance I fail to understand why they cannot make it a legal obligation of the Centre."

Farmers are headed to Delhi as part of their protest march against the Centre's Farm laws amid heavy security deployment.

Besides the tear gas, security personal were seen marching towards the crowd, dressed in all protective gear.

Earlier in the day, plumes of smoke were seen at Haryana-Delhi Singhu border as the security personnel used tear gas to disperse farmers protesting the central farm laws.

Delhi Traffic Police earlier today informed that vehicles are not allowed towards the Singhu border area. While the government said the three laws will do away with middlemen, enabling farmers to sell their produce in the commercial markets, protestors fear that this could lead to the government not buying produce at guaranteed prices, thereby disrupting their timely payments.

ANI Report