'Unwarranted, undesirable but...': Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann on farmers' protest near Chandigarh

However, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann expressed that he is ready for talks with the farmers demanding a wheat bonus for the government.

Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday called the agitation by state farmers as unwarranted and undesirable but said he is ready for talks. He also asked farmer unions to join the state government's efforts to check depleting groundwater in Punjab. Punjab farmers sat on a protest near the Chandigarh-Mohali border on Tuesday after being stopped from heading to the state capital to press the government for a bonus on wheat crop and allow paddy sowing from June 10.

The government has asked farmers not to go for paddy transplantation till June 18.

The CM said his doors are open for talks with farmers but hollow slogans cannot break his resolve to check further depletion of groundwater.

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"They have a democratic right to hold a dharna but they should tell their issues," said Mann while talking to reporters after returning from Delhi.