WebDesk Punjab
25 May
Sandeep Dhand Ludhiana
Union Minister Piyush Goyal expressed the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) willingness to engage in dialogue with agitating farmers to resolve ongoing farm issues. Goyal made this statement while campaigning for BJP candidate Taranjit Singh Sandhu in Amritsar for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. He, along with BJP leader Maninderjit Singh Sirsa and local leaders, paid obeisance at the Golden Temple.
Goyal, a member of the Central Government’s panel that previously engaged with farmer unions, emphasized the need to resolve miscommunications through dialogue. He appealed to farmers to abandon protests and seek resolution through discussions. “Our doors are open for farmers to hold discussions on farm issues. BJP’s priority has always been to strategize policies to safeguard their interests,” Goyal stated.
He mentioned that the BJP had offered enhanced Minimum Support Prices (MSP) and that previous meetings were positive but hindered by miscommunication. Goyal urged farmers to re-engage in talks, noting that misunderstandings could adversely affect Punjab farmers in the future.
Addressing other regional concerns, Goyal reiterated the BJP’s commitment to combating the drug menace in Punjab. “We will set up a multi-dimensional task force involving security agencies to make the state drug-free,” he said.
Goyal criticized the current state government for hindering Punjab’s development. He highlighted the state’s failure to participate in the PM MITRA textile park scheme due to incomplete proposals, contrasting this with Tamil Nadu’s successful application. “The Punjab Government did not send us a complete proposal. The Tamil Nadu Government furnished the requisite and got the project,” Goyal claimed.
On cultural initiatives, Goyal noted that under the BJP-led Central Government, ‘Gurpurb’ and ‘Veer Bal Divas’ were commemorated globally. He also highlighted the government’s permission for international donations at the Golden Temple through the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010.
For Amritsar, Goyal outlined plans to enhance connectivity, logistics, and infrastructure for international trade. He aimed to leverage local skills to elevate Amritsar’s talent globally, boosting the region’s economy. He clarified that the halt in Attari-Wagah trade was due to actions from Pakistan’s side, not India.