Demands of farmers pertain to Centre, State has no role: Punjab CM

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann supports farmers' demands for MSP, criticizes BJP-led Central government's apathy.

As farmers continue their protest at the inter-State border of Punjab and Haryana, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday said the demands of the farmers pertains to the Union government and the State has no role to play.

Mr. Mann said farmer’s agitation has been going on at Shambhu and Khanauri borders for the last few months but the Central government is not paying any heed to their demands. He said all their requirements are related to the Union government but unfortunately the BJP-led Central government is apathetic towards them.

He claimed that the Centre had turned a blind eye to the farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal’s fast-unto-death. But he had called Mr. Dallewal and urged him to break the fast. He alleged that the Union government wants Mr. Dallewal and farmers to be evicted from the protest site even though they have not violated any law and order.

Mr. Mann said he was surprised that the Union government is shying away from holding talks with the farmers and trying to put the onus on the State government. Instead of making efforts to redress their grievances, the Union government is trying to fix the responsibility on the farmers, he said, adding the Centre should shun its apathetic approach and open a way for talks with all the stakeholders.

Farmer outfits are demanding a legal guarantee for purchasing their crops at a Minimum Support Price (MSP) and a farm loan waiver among other demands. Group of farmers under the banner of the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) and Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) — the two umbrella bodies that are spearheading farmer’s agitation in Punjab —— have been, since February 13 last year, camping at Shambhu-Ambala and Khanauri-Jind – the inter-State boundaries between Haryana and Punjab, after being stopped from entering Haryana. Mr. Dallewal has been on a fast unto death since November 26 at Khanauri.