Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday, December 24, called on the Centre to suspend its “stubbornness” and engage in dialogue with farmers protesting at the State’s border over a number of problems, including a legal guarantee of the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops being sought by the protesting farmers.
Notably, farmers under the leadership of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have been protesting at the Punjab-Haryana border posts of Shambhu and Khanauri since February 13 after security forces stopped their march to Delhi.
In an effort to compel the Centre to accede to the demands of the farmers, Punjabi farmer activist Jagjit Singh Dallewal has been on a hunger strike at the Khanauri border since November 26. On Sunday, December 22, when his fast approached its 27th day, medical professionals referred to his health as “critical”.
In a Post on X, Punjab CM Mann stated that “the central government has to abandon its “stubbornness” and allow for negotiations with the farmer associations. Can’t Modi ji speak to the farmers who are 200 km distant from Delhi if he can end the conflict between Russia and Ukraine? For what time are you waiting? “Why?” he enquired.
He also encouraged the Centre to negotiate with the farmers who were protesting on December 19 as well. He asserted that it was the responsibility of the Centre and that communication could be used to settle any disputes.
