Farmers Movement Archive

Capt’s meeting with Amit Shah on farmers’ stir postponed

ChandigarhFormer Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh’s meeting with Union home minister Amit Shah on Thursday to discuss possible solutions to the ongoing farmers’ agitation was postponed. The two-time former CM, who was scheduled to meet the Union home minister with a non-political delegation of agriculture experts and agriculturists from Punjab at 6.30pm, reached Delhi on Wednesday evening. He was, however, informed about the postponement in the morning on Thursday. “The meeting was postponed as Shah had to leave for Gujarat,” said a person privy to Capt’s efforts to resolve the standoff between the Centre and farmer unions, and was part of the delegation. An aide of the former CM said no fresh date has been given for the meeting. Amarinder, who was made to resign as the CM following months of tussle and turbulence in the Punjab Congress, has already announced that he is launching his own party. He had earlier said that any seat sharing arrangement with the BJP for the Punjab elections would be subject to a resolution of the farmers’ issue in their interest. He is, however, still to quit the Congress. On Wednesday, the two-time former CM said he had been discussing various options with the Union home minister and others for resolution of the standoff. “I think I can help in finding a solution as I have been the chief minister of Punjab and am also an agriculturist,” he told reporters at a press conference in Chandigarh on Wednesday. While there could be no pre-decided formula for the resolution of the farmers’ stir, something would emerge during the talks as both sides, the central government and farmers, want a resolution to the crisis triggered by the farm laws, he said, clarifying that he had not met any farmer leader. Amarinder also said he had deliberately not intervened in the matter as the farmers did not want politicians involved.

Hindustan Times

29-10-2021

Chandigarh