Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh asked the farmers protesting against the Centre’s farm reform laws to shift their protests to Delhi and not block the development of the State. Addressing a function in Hoshiarpur, Singh said the State has done all it can to support the protests and his government has been considerate to the demands of the farmers.

‘State economy hit’

He said the State Assembly has passed Bills against the three farm laws. He accused the Akali Dal of supporting the Centre’s farm laws when they were in the Union Cabinet. “The protests have started affecting farming operations. We passed Bills, but the Governor is yet to give assent to the Bills. Farmers are sitting in protest in 113 places in Punjab. Shift the protests to Delhi or Haryana. Protesting in Punjab will have an impact on our economy,” he said.

Punjab has been witnessing intense protests against the three laws since they were implemented as Ordinances initially in June 2020. From November 2020, thousands of farmers from Punjab are still sitting in Singhu and Tikri borders of Delhi.

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha, the umbrella organisation of protesting farmers, has not responded to Singh’s statement. It said on Monday that the hunger strike by of women farmers in Sohana, Punjab has reached 97th day. The SKM is busy preparing for the Bharat bandh scheduled on September 27.

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