‘Even China border is not fortified like it is in national capital’: Shashi Tharoor on farmers’ protest

Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee General Secretary Sarwan Singh Pandher said that the meeting with the Centre will be held tomorrow at 5 pm and the farmers want to resolve all the issues peacefully.

Thiruvananthapuram: Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday said he doesn’t think the China border is fortified the way the national capital is, adding that it’s a democratic right of the farmers to protest and to be heard in the national capital. “It’s a democratic right of the farmers to protest and come and be heard in the National capital.

I don’t think the border with China is fortified the way this city is fortified. The government should have learnt a lesson from the previous farmers’ agitation- consult the stakeholders. Last time it took a year-long agitation before the government surrendered and withdrew. He further asked the central government why the government doesn’t deal with this problem in a “humane and in a more democratic way.”

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Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee General Secretary Sarwan Singh Pandher said that the meeting with the Centre will be held tomorrow at 5 pm and the farmers want to resolve all the issues peacefully.

“Even in this position, we are thinking that we will not leave the way of talking. If the Centre comes up with a solution, then we are ready. We don’t want any kind of conflict. We want to resolve all issues through dialogue. The meeting with the Centre will be held at 5 pm tomorrow. We are saying again, that tomorrow also we will sit peacefully,” he said.

Earlier today, Sarwan Singh Pandher requested the government to stop using tear gas and other forces against the protesting farmers and create a cordial atmosphere. He alleged that the police used a self-loading rifle (SLR) with plastic and rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the farmers who were marching to the national capital on Tuesday.

“Police used SLR bullets, tear gas, plastic and rubber bullets to disperse our farmers. These kinds of actions are not acceptable. The way they are making our perception in the media is not right. They are putting the tag of Khalistani, calling us the supporter of Congress and Punjab government, which is not correct,” Pandher said while addressing the media.

Union Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda, who is also negotiating with farmer leaders, urged the protesters to cooperate and communicate so that common people should not have to suffer and said that in the formation of new laws, there are so many things to consider that the government wants to discuss with the farmer organisations.