Amid clash at Delhi border, Punjab CM urges Centre to initiate talks with farmers' unions

Even as the farmers continue to march towards Delhi despite the continuous firing of tear gas shells and water cannons by security forces, Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh has said that the Centre should immediately initiate talks with the Unions. The Punjab CM has asked as to why is the Centre waiting till December 3 when matters are tensed at the borders on Friday. He has also said that the Central government must accept farmers' demand for assured MSP. On allegations by Haryana CM ML Khattar that Congress is instigating the farmers, he said that farmers are trying to enter Delhi from across the country and that they don't need provocation.

He said, "The voice of farmers cannot be muzzled indefinitely. 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? Central govt needs to show statesmanship and accept the farmers' demand for assured MSP, which is the basic right of every farmer. If they can give verbal assurance I fail to understand why they can't make it a legal obligation of the GoI. Those claiming it's Congress that's instigating the farmers are blind not to see the lakhs of farmers trying to enter Delhi from across the country. It's a fight for their lives & livelihoods & they don't need any backing or provocation."

While Punjab CM Amarinder Singh had a day earlier urged Haryana CM ML Khattar to not stop the farmers at the border, Khattar warned Amarinder against provoking farmers and has said that he will resign if MSP is altered due to new farm laws. 

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Farmers' protest

Amid tight security at all entry points of the national capital, the clash between the farmers of Punjab and the Police continued on day three. Farmers have refused to back off from their 'Delhi Chalo' march and are standing at various points of Punjab-Haryana with dramatic visuals seen at Shambhu, Tikri, Singhu checkpoints. With modified tractors and rations, farmers have said that they won't go back and more farmers will join by the evening of November 27. Farmers were also seen using a tractor to move a truck placed as a barricade to stop them from entering the capital at Tikri border near the Delhi-Bahadurgarh highway. In response of this, Police have fired at least eight rounds of tear gas shells and used water cannons.

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Earlier on Day 2, visuals at Shambhu, Punjab-Haryana border, showed protesters picking up one of the metal barricades and tossing it off over a river-bridge, to which the police retaliated by lathi-charging, water-cannon and tear gas. This has been ongoing since Wednesday, with Congress, AAP and Akali Dal condemning the Centre for stopping the farmers, while BJP has accused the Opposition of 'inciting innocent farmers'.

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What are the controversial Farm Laws?

The Centre promulgated three ordinances affecting agriculture. Agriculture foodstuff including cereals, edible oils, oilseeds, pulses, onions, and potato are to be deregulated while stock limits were to be imposed only under extreme conditions, under the amendment to the Essential Commodities act. The Farmers' produce trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act was to enable better price realisation for farmers by attracting investments - making the agriculture sector competitive.

Under the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm services ordinance, 2020, it provided a framework for the protection and empowerment of farmers with reference to the sale and purchase of farm products overriding all state APMC laws. State governments in Punjab, Rajasthan have passed laws annulling the Centre's laws.

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