'Unfortunate that farmers giving political twist to my appeal'

Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh said it was unfortunate that the farmers agitating against the black Farm Laws had given a political twist to his remarks instead of understanding the pain and misery caused to the people on account of their protests in the state, which were quite uncalled for, given his government's continued support to them.

Reacting to Samyukt Kisan Morcha's criticism of the remarks he had made yesterday on the issue, the Chief Minister lamented that despite his government's unequivocal support to their cause, the farmers had misinterpreted his appeal and had, instead, tried to link it with the upcoming Assembly polls in Punjab. His government, as well as the people of Punjab, had always stood with the farmers on the issue of the Farm Laws, and it was sad that they were now suffering due to the continued protests of the farming community across the state, he added.

The CM had on Sunday urged the farmer bodies not to hold their protests in Punjab as it was hurting the state's economy and had further advised them to continue their agitation in Delhi and in Haryana where they are already agitating.

The Chief Minister asserted that there was no question of trying to split the farmers of Punjab and Haryana, all of whom were equal victims of the apathy of the BJP-led governments at the Centre and in the neighbouring state.

Pointing out that the farmers' fight was against the BJP, which was solely responsible for thrusting the anti-farmer legislations on Punjab and other states, Captain Amarinder said inconveniencing the people of Punjab was not justified in the circumstances. He rejected the Morcha's claims that there was no paralysis of the government in Punjab due to the farmers' protests, pointing out that it was not the Adanis or the Ambanis whose interests were being hurt by such protests but the common people of the state, as well as its economy.