Punjab farmers are at borders again, CM calls protest unwarranted
text_fields
After the Punjab farmers sat on a protest near the Chandigarh-Mohali border, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said the agitation is "unwarranted and undesirable". He added that he is ready for talks.
Farmers have again come together under various unions and marched to Chandigarh to protest against the AAP government for not fulfilling their demands. One of the demands, the Rs 500 bonus for wheat, was accepted but the CM hasn't issued a notification yet.
One of the farmers told ANI that they demanded notification from MSP on basmati rice and moong. The union is also against prepaid electricity metres. Farmers also want to start paddy sowing from June 10 when the government has asked them to wait till June 18.
He stated that the delay in paddy transplantation can act as a catalyst to save underground water and questioned what is the difference between June 10 and 18. "I am the son of a farmer. I know how it can happen," said the AAP leader.
Farmers were stopped from heading to the state capital, and they sat near the Chandigarh-Mohali border on Tuesday.
CM Mann said his doors are open for talks. He also asked them to join the state government's efforts to check depleting groundwater in Punjab. The AAP minister said hollow slogans cannot break his resolve to check further depletion of groundwater.
He told the media the farmers have a democratic right to protest but they should tell their issues. The CM added he has been calling the farmers' leaders for a meeting earlier as well. He assured that the delay in paddy sowing will not harm farmers' interests.
The Chief Minister asked the farmers to support him for a year and assured them that the state government will compensate them for any loss suffered during this period. He asked the protestors whether he is wrong for thinking about saving water and checking environmental pollution.
