Time to meet PM, written assurance to discuss all demands made Punjab union call off protest

Satnam Singh Pannu, President PKMSC, told The Indian express that they have called off their protest after receiving two letters, one from Principal secretary CM Punjab and other from Principal Secretary to PM. He said that PS to CM’s letter was handed over to them by Ferozepur police officials and also shared b SSP Ferozepur on their WhatsApp.

The union was seeking time to meet PM and discuss the pending farmer issues after the repeal of farm laws.

PKMSC has been claiming that they were assured during their earlier dharnas that their demands will be discussed with the Centre before PM’s rally. They had announced to hold massive protest during PM’s rally.

At 10.40 am Wednesday, the letter was issued with the meeting schedule from the office of the Principal Secretary, Punjab CM.

The letter mentioned that an official meeting has been scheduled with the PM for March 15 to have discussion on the pending demands of the farmers. In the letter, three leaders of Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (PKMSC) — Satnam Singh Pannu, the president of PKMSC, Sarwan Singh Pandher, general secretary and Satwinder Singh Chautala, senior vice president of the union — had been invited.

The meeting has been scheduled in the conference hall of Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi from 12.30 pm to 1 pm.

Union Minister and incharge of Punjab BJP affairs Gajendra Singh Shekhawat had also held a meeting with the leaders of PKMSC last evening and told them that their apprehensions will be addressed after discussing their demands in detail.

“As they were demanding the cancellation of the cases against the farmers in several states including Punjab, Haryana, UP and Delhi etc, I told them that process the same is already going on and these cases will be taken back as per the laid procedure of the law,” said Shekhawat, adding that no cases will be registered against the farmers for burning the stubble.

“They were told that for MSP of all crops, a committee would be formed with the consensus of all the stake holders and it may be formed by coming January 15,” said Shekhawat.

Later, PKMSC also received another letter from Principal Secretary to the PM in which five demands of the union were mentioned and written that the demands will be met as discussed in conversation with the Union Minister Gajendra Shekhawat, who met with the PKMSC leaders. But both these letters failed to persuade PKMSC to call off their protest.

Even after returning from the Delhi Morcha, the PKMSC had staged protest in the state, including ‘rail roko’, to put pressure on the government to accept their remaining demands.

They had lifted the ‘rail roko’ on December 29 only after getting an assurance that their demand letter will be sent to the Centre and time will be sought for their meeting with the PM.