Rajpura (Punjab) [India], December 8 (HBTV): Punjab and Haryana police met with farmer leaders in Rajpura on Sunday to discuss concerns over the ongoing farmers' protest after farmer leaders called off the 'Jatha' following injuries to over eight farmers.

Tensions escalated at the Punjab-Haryana Shambhu border, where police used tear gas to block farmers attempting to march to Delhi. Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher accused the Punjab government of siding with the central government to suppress the protest. Opposition leaders slammed the government's handling of the situation, pointing to ongoing issues faced by farmers, including fertilizer shortages and the Minimum Support Price (MSP).

Further discussions are scheduled for Monday to plan the next steps of the protest. In the meantime, the Haryana government imposed an internet shutdown in several villages to prevent misinformation, while the central government has yet to respond to key demands.

During the meeting in Rajpura, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher and other officials, including Patiala DIG Mandeep Singh Sidhu, took part in the discussions. ‘A very detailed discussion took place with the farmers... The talks happened in a positive atmosphere, and future rounds of talks will also take place with the farmers,’ said DIG Sidhu.

Ambala DC Parth Gupta stated, ‘We held a meeting with the farm leaders... Efforts are being made to find a solution.’

SSP Patiala, Nanak Singh, added, ‘The meeting happened in a very positive atmosphere... Various officials were present at the meeting. These kinds of meetings will continue.’

Despite the government's efforts to initiate dialogue, tensions remained high at the Punjab-Haryana Shambhu border, where police used tear gas to block protesting farmers heading towards Delhi. The farmers' ‘Dilli Chalo’ march was disrupted by police action, resulting in injuries among several protesters.

(ANI)