Punjab CM calls all-party meet on Feb 2 to show unity over farmers' protest

Alleging that farmers from Punjab are being beaten up by police and assaulted by goons at their protest site on Delhi borders, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh called an all-party meeting on Tuesday to show unity and evolve a consensus on the way forward on the three contentious Central farm laws.

The meeting will be held at 11 am at Punjab Bhawan, according to a government statement issued Sunday.

"This is not the time to stand on ego but to come together to save our state and our people," the chief minister told the parties.

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As per the government statement, the meeting will discuss the situation arising out of the recent developments in the ongoing farmers' agitation in Delhi, especially in view of the Republic Day violence, "the Singhu border attack on farmers, and the massive vilification campaign against them".

Singh urged all parties to join the meeting in a spirit of unity, in support of the farmers and in the interest of Punjab.

The Chief Minister said the "crisis" triggered by the farm laws was a matter of concern for the entire state and its people.

"Only through collective efforts of all Punjabis, and all the political parties of the state, can the crisis be tackled effectively and the farmers' interests be protected," he said.

"Our farmers are dying out there at the Delhi borders for more than two months now. They are being beaten up by the police and assaulted by goons. They are being harassed by being deprived of basic amenities," the CM said.

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With a large number of farmers from Punjab at the receiving end of this battering, he said, it was imperative for all parties of the state to come together to evolve a cohesive strategy on the issue.

The CM expressed hope that all political parties in Punjab will put aside their differences to find a solution to the problem, which, he said, touches every Punjabi.

Farmers, mostly from Punjab and Haryana, have been camping at Delhi's borders for over two months now, demanding scrapping of the farm laws and a legal guarantee on the minimum support price for crops.

After briefly appearing to be fizzling out following the Republic Day violence in Delhi, the farmers' stir against the agri laws seems to be reviving with more and more of farmers groups heading to the national capital from various parts of Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.