CHANDIGARH: Talks between the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, which led the 2020-21 farmers’ protest, and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann ended inconclusively. Farmers claim CM Mann walked out in “anger,” and the ‘Chandigarh Chalo’ march on March 5 will proceed as planned.On the other hand, Mann stated that his doors are always open for talks with the farmers, but emphasized that inconvenience and harassment of the general public in the name of agitation should be avoided.The two-hour meeting between Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and the leadership of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) held at Punjab Bhawan remained inconclusive.After the meeting, senior SKM leader and president of All India Kisan Federation Prem Singh Bhangu alleged, “CM Mann openly challenged the farmer leaders in the meeting after some leaders said that you (CM) have agreed for meeting after we announced Chandigarh Chalo March for March 5. He (Mann) said that he is not afraid of the farmers protest and do whatever you want. He also said that the points (demands) by the farmers which were agreed upon in the meeting are now all stand cancelled. ‘’Bhangu claimed that during the meeting, it was agreed to form a committee to discuss legal issues related to land acquisition for the Bharat Mala project and Shamlat lands in villages. The committee would include farmers’ leaders, the advocate general, and the chief secretary. “The other demand, which was agreed to, was to pre-pone the paddy transplantation from June 15 to June 1. But CM, while walking out of the meeting, said that now all demands agreed upon stand cancelled,” he said.
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