Protesting farmers said that Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann got angry and provoked them during a meeting in Chandigarh. The meeting was held on Monday to convince farmers to call off their protest at the Khanauri border on March 5.
Farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal said he had never seen a leader act so angrily, even in high-level talks. He explained that the discussions were progressing well, and they had agreed on several issues.
However, after reaching an agreement on the eighth point, CM Mann said he had a doctor’s appointment and needed to leave. When he asked the farmers to cancel their protest on March 5 and they did not agree, he became very upset and left the meeting, saying, “Do whatever you want to do.”
Another farmer leader, Raminder Patila, said the CM’s behaviour was unacceptable. He explained that they had presented 18 demands, but the CM abruptly left after discussing only eight.
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He said the farmers had a right to protest if their demands were not fully heard. He also stated that they would return on March 5 and continue their protest indefinitely.
Farmer leader Harinder Singh Lakhowal also said that Mann became furious during the meeting. He claimed that the CM had previously assured them that their issues would be resolved through meetings, but in reality, he only met with them when they protested. He said that, unlike Union Home Minister Amit Shah and central government officials, who remained calm in discussions, Mann got too emotional.
On February 22, three Union Ministers met with farmer leaders in Chandigarh as part of the central government’s outreach. They assured the farmers that they would review the data and reports before further discussions on March 19. This was the second meeting between central ministers and farmers, following a similar discussion on February 14.
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