'Don’t take my soft-heartedness into...': Punjab CM Mann has THIS to say after walking out of meeting with farmer leaders

After protesting farmers claimed that Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had got "angry" during a meeting, CM Mann said on Tuesday that he cancelled the meeting because the farmers wanted to continue their protest amid the talks. The Chief Minister further expressed his concerns about the frequent protests and blockades by farmers in the state saying that these protests, such as "rail roko" and "sadak roko," are causing significant economic losses to the state. 

CM Mann further warned that he is not afraid to take action but as the custodian of 3.5 crore people, he has to consider everyone's interests. 

“I told farmers that every day you hold ‘rail roko’, ‘sadak roko’ protest…This is causing immense losses to Punjab. The state is facing economic losses. Punjab is becoming a state of ‘dharna’. Don’t take my softheartedness into thinking that I do not take action…I am a custodian of 3.5 crore people. I have to look after everyone…In the meeting, I asked them about the protest the day after (on March 5), and they said it would go on. So, I told them what did you make me sit for an hour?… I indeed got up and left…I told them I did not call the meeting out of fear, I have met them earlier too, that I am your friend…But if you tell me that morcha would continue along with the meeting, I cancel the meeting and you can continue with the morcha,” Mann told reporters.

Earlier, protesting farmers claimed that Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had got “angry” and “provoked” them during a meeting with him in Chandigarh.

Farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal described Chief Minister Mann as unusually angry, noting that he had never witnessed such an outburst, even in high-level negotiations.

“The meeting was going on well, and we were coming to agreements on several issues. After we came to an agreement on the eighth issue, the CM said he wanted to leave, owing to a doctor’s appointment. Then, he asked about our plans for March 5. He said we are holding talks; why do you still want to proceed with the protest? He became very angry and left the meeting saying ‘Do whatever you want to do’… I have had negotiations at the Prime Minister level but have never seen a leader so angry. We will come to Chandigarh (on 5 March),” he said.

Farmer leader Raminder Patila said that this is not how a Chief Minister should behave.

“We had a memorandum of 18 demands, and we had reached the 8th point when he straight up asked us not to protest on March 5. If he will not listen to our demands, we have the right to make ourselves heard. If he thinks that things will end just by meeting, that is not the case. The behaviour displayed by the CM was condemnable. He left the meeting mid-way. This should not be how a CM is supposed to behave. We will come back on the 5th of March and force the CM to sit with us… We wanted thorough discussions, and we will not accept it if he tries to curtail or dictate our discussions… He had invited us for this meeting… We will hold an indefinite protest,” Patila said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DNA staff and is published from ANI)

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