Faridkot (Punjab) [India], April 28 (ANI): Farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who recently ended his indefinite hunger strike, has expressed reservations over the notified presence of Punjab government representatives in a scheduled meeting with the central government on May 4.
Accusing the Punjab government of “offending the dignity of farmers,” he said that the state administration arrested farmers and “attacked” their morchas after the March 19 meeting. The senior farm leader added that it was the central government’s responsibility to ensure that such incidents didn’t occur.
“We believe that a solution to any problem can be found through discussion. We have never run away from discussion. However, there are a few reservations that farmers have expressed, namely that the last time, on March 19, the Punjab government called farmers for a meeting, and as soon as we came out of the meeting, we were arrested. Our morchas were attacked. The Punjab government has offended the dignity of farmers. The central government’s responsibility was to ensure that such things don’t happen,” Dallewal said in a self-made video.
“On April 25, a letter was issued from the central government and the Agricultural Ministry…they have called for a meeting on May 4…it has also been mentioned that representatives of the central government and the Punjab government will be present at the meeting,” he added.
Ahead of the meeting scheduled between farmers and the Central government in Chandigarh on May 4, farmer leaders have written a letter to Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan, urging that the representative of the Punjab government should not be included in this meeting.
The letter states, “The Sanyukta Kisan Morcha and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha believe that resolving agricultural issues through dialogue and discussions has always been our priority, and we are always prepared for it. It is noteworthy that a dialogue process had commenced in Chandigarh between the government and farmer leaders on February 8 and 12.”
The farm leaders have taken cognizance of the March 19 incident, in which protestors were jailed, and suspected that the central and state governments were attempting to suppress their democratic rights.
“However, after the events of March 19, where many farmer leaders were arrested by the Punjab government and jailed, and heavy barricading and deployment of police forces are being witnessed at various borders adjoining Delhi, it appears that the Central government and the state governments are attempting to suppress the democratic rights of the farmers,” the letter read.
On March 19, key farmer leaders accused the Punjab administration of using excessive force against protesting farmers and unlawfully detaining several leaders. They also cited unfavourable conditions for not participating in the meeting.
Punjab police had cleared the Sambhu and Khanauri border and removed the temporary structures erected by the protesting farmers. (ANI)
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