Some goons shamed us, don’t use it to negate ache of farmers: Amarinder Singh

It can be unlucky if the Centre makes use of the Red Fort incident as an “excuse” to shut the door on farmers, stated Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh Thursday whereas strongly condemning the violence and calling for an unbiased probe to establish the “real culprits.” Excerpts from an interview to The Indian Express:
Has the Red Fort incident on January 26 damage the farmer protests?
The incident was a disgrace on all of us, an insult to our nation. That the image of Independent India must be broken and sullied on this method shouldn’t be one thing any proud Indian can sanctify. It is a disrespect additionally to our revered Nishan Sahib, which was utilized by some goons (they might not have been farmers) to undermine a peaceable protest.
As a Punjabi, I really feel insulted on behalf of my group, which is bringing its sons wrapped within the nationwide flag virtually each second day from the nation’s borders. But it might be incorrect to malign the entire group, whose patriotism can by no means be questioned or doubted. It would even be incorrect to defame the farmers, who’ve been protesting peacefully now for months, first in Punjab and for the previous two-plus months at Delhi’s borders, with out inflicting an iota of bother. It is the sons of those very farmers who’re sacrificing their lives defending our nation’s borders.
Those who indulged within the violence at Red Fort weren’t real farmers however some anti-social components. Some of them have been recognized, like this actor Deep Sidhu, who has been named by Delhi Police as a key perpetrator. So whereas this incident might have some non permanent repercussions for the farmers’ agitation, I don’t assume it could actually trigger any severe harm to their motion. They are preventing for his or her survival and for his or her future generations and I don’t assume the wrestle of the real farmers or their supporters will be negated by one such incident.
The Red Fort incident can’t and shouldn’t be utilized by BJP or anybody else to negate the ache of the farmers, who’ve been tenting out within the bitter Delhi chilly for greater than two months now. Can’t the BJP see their tears?
Of the over 40 farm union leaders who had been speaking with the Centre, greater than 30 have been named within the FIR. How does this have an effect on the continued talks? Has the area shrunk for negotiations.
It can be actually unlucky if the Centre makes use of this lone incident as an excuse to shut the doorways for future talks with the farmers. That would actually spell the loss of life of democracy for India. I sincerely hope and urge the Central authorities to proceed to have interaction with the farmers, as they’ve been doing over the previous a number of weeks. Talks and negotiation are the one option to resolve this disaster, and the one resolution to the issue.
I might additionally prefer to reiterate right here that this one incident shouldn’t be utilized by the Centre or the Delhi Police to harass and goal farmer leaders. Those who’re responsible of inciting violence, and people who actively indulged in lawlessness, ought to undoubtedly be punished however this incident shouldn’t develop into a instrument to destroy the farmers’ motion. If there’s any proof, any video footage, of any of those farmer leaders inciting bother, then allow them to be arrested and punished, however how can they be held accountable for the acts of others, particularly those that, on the face of it, should not even farmers?
In reality, there are indications of involvement of members of some political events, and likewise discuss of Pakistan’s hand on this incident. That makes it all of the extra crucial {that a} thorough, correct and honest investigation must be carried out to establish the true culprits.
The violence and the Red Fort incident have once more given a deal with to those that had been name-calling earlier. Union Minister Rajnath Singh had strongly condemned it then.
This complete enterprise of calling farmers every kind of low cost names, reminiscent of Khalistanis, Urban Naxalites, was resorted to by BJP to weaken and harm the farmers’ battle in opposition to the farm legal guidelines…If these sitting on the roads should not farmers however terrorists and secessionists, do you actually assume the Central Government would have held 12 rounds of negotiations with them to debate the problem?
I might sincerely advise them to cease name-calling. India’s lifeline is the farmers and its agriculture system and destroying them would imply an finish for the nation’s meals safety and self-sufficiency.
What is your message to the farmers at this time?
I might solely prefer to say to my farmer brethren: Stay calm. Don’t let some mischievous components provoke you into any form of response. Stick to the peaceable means which have been the hallmark of your agitation all these months, and which have ensured immense assist for you from world wide. Stay engaged with the Central Government, discuss to them. I’m certain that having come to date, they are going to be amenable to understanding your perspective and settle for your suggestion for repeal of the farm legal guidelines earlier than later.
Talks is the one resolution. It is the one option to resolve this disaster. If the Government can discuss to China, which has been infiltrating into our territories and grabbing our land for months now, why ought to they droop talks with their very own farmers, our personal individuals? My options to each, the farmers and the Government: please maintain speaking, I’m certain you will see a method out of his imbroglio.