Chandigarh, Dec 16 (NationPress) Haryana's Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shyam Singh Rana stated on Monday that Punjab's Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann ought to take a cue from his Haryana counterpart and swiftly tackle the challenges faced by protesting farmers. “Given that the Haryana Chief Minister is ensuring a minimum support price (MSP) for all crops, it's imperative that the Punjab government adopts a similar approach for the benefit of Punjab's farmers,” the Agriculture Minister articulated in his statement.

He also voiced concerns regarding the declining health of agitating farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal. The minister emphasized that the Punjab government should prioritize Dallewal’s health and make necessary arrangements for him to conclude his hunger strike.

In response to the farmers’ announcement to recommence their march to Delhi on December 18, the minister remarked that Punjab and Haryana are the leading producers of food grains for the central pool and that farmers in both states are reaping the advantages of MSP.

He stated that the Punjab government must guarantee that all farmers in Punjab can market their produce at MSP, just as is the practice in Haryana.

The Punjab Chief Minister is urged to engage with the farmers to facilitate their return home. The minister pointed out that the Supreme Court has already appointed a committee of experts to resolve this matter, yet the farmer leaders did not attend the committee's meeting regarding this issue.

Previously, Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav, along with Mayank Mishra from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, met with farmer leader Dallewal, who is on a hunger strike to advocate for their demands. They inquired about his health and urged him to cease his 20-day-long fast.

This meeting marked the first dialogue between the Union government and a farm leader since the inconclusive discussions in February.

The 70-year-old cancer patient Dallewal has been fasting at Khanauri, the border area between Punjab and Haryana, since November 26 to press for their longstanding demands, which include a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) for crops, loan waivers, and reforms to enhance conditions in the agricultural sector.

After the meeting with the farmer leader, Yadav informed the media, “We came to check on Dallewal’s health.”

He unambiguously stated, “We have acknowledged his (Dallewal's) demands. There was no proposal of any kind concerning the demands. I came here to listen to him and to ensure the implementation of the Supreme Court's order.”

Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher has declared plans to halt train services in Punjab on December 18 as a form of protest.