Chandigarh, Nov 9 (IANS): Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Monday evening appealed to the farmers' unions to completely lift their rail blockade to allow passenger trains to ply in the state, in view of the initiative taken by the Central government to discuss the issue of the farm laws likely on November 13.

In a statement issued here, the Chief Minister urged the farmers' organisations to take note of the Centre's move to hold talks with them, and also take into account the inconvenience being caused to lakhs of people, including soldiers, who are unable to come home for Diwali due to the suspension of train movement in the state.

Ending the rail blockade would facilitate these soldiers and others to join their families in the celebrations, he said.

Amarinder Singh expressed the hope that the talks convened by the government of India, schedule for November 13 as per media reports, would pave the way for early resolution of the crisis triggered by the central legislations on agriculture.

The move indicated that the Centre is open to finding an amicable solution to the problems being faced by the farmers in the wake of the enactment of these laws, he said.

The farmers' anger had clearly reached the Central government, which seemed to be finally prepared to hear them out, said the Chief Minister.

Now that the message they wanted to communicate through their blockade has reached the Centre, the unions should step back from their agitation and join the talks with the spirit of resolving the issue, he said.

Pointing out that his government had stood with the farmers in the fight against the farm laws despite the massive economic and other problems caused to the state and its people, Amarinder Singh said he is confident that the unions would now respond by supporting the efforts to ease the situation in the larger interest of all the stakeholders.

The only solution to the imbroglio caused by the Central legislations lay in peaceful and amicable talks between all concerned, he said, urging the farmers' unions to respond with a positive approach.

The Chief Minister, however, assured the unions that his government would not allow the interests of the farmers to be compromised at any cost, as these were linked inexorably to the interests of the state.

The state government would continue to extend whatever support is needed by the farmers to resolve the crisis, he added.