Lift rail blockade, Punjab CM urges protesters

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 9

Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has urged farm unions to lift their rail blockade to allow passenger trains to ply in the state in view of the initiative taken by the Centre to discuss the issue.

• Also read: Railways’ decision illogical: Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh

In a statement issued on Monday evening, the Chief Minister urged farmer organisations to take note of the Centre’s move to hold talks with them and also take into account the inconvenience being caused to lakhs of Punjabis, including soldiers, who were unable to come home for Diwali due to the suspension of train movement in the state. Ending the rail blockade would facilitate these soldiers and others to join their families in the celebrations, he said.

The CM expressed hope that the talks convened by the Centre, which are scheduled for November 13 as per media reports, would pave the way for early resolution of the crisis. The move indicated that the Centre was open to finding an amicable solution to the problems being faced by the farmers in the wake of the enactment of the laws, he said.

The farmers’ anger had clearly reached the Central government, which seemed to be finally prepared to hear them out, said the CM. Now that the message that they wanted to communicate through their blockade had reached the Centre, the unions should step back from their agitation and join the talks with the spirit of resolving the issue, he said.

He said he was confident that the unions would now respond by supporting its efforts to ease the situation in the larger interest of all stakeholders.