‘Resolve issue as it affects the economy of my state and security of the nation,” Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said after a meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi on Thursday amid an ongoing protest by farmers in the national capital over the recently-promulgated farm laws. The meeting came ahead of the farmer’s meeting with a group of ministers, scheduled for today.

“Discussion is going on between farmers and Centre, there’s nothing for me to resolve. I reiterated my opposition in my meeting with Home Minister and requested him to resolve the issue as it affects the economy of my state and security of the nation,” Singh said.

Also read: Farmers’ protest live updates

The meeting was originally scheduled for 9.30 am but was put off till 12 noon. The Punjab chief minister has been supporting the farmers’ stir and the state Assembly also passed a set of bills aimed at negating the Centre’s farm legislation but the state Governor is yet to ratify those bills. According to reports, Singh met Shah to discuss the future of the bills passed by the state.

The protesting farmers, a large number of whom are from Punjab, are demanding that the government withdraw the new farm laws if it wants them to end their stir. They have been holding sit-ins for seven days, blocking Delhi’s borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

The farmer leaders’ first meeting with the central government on Tuesday was inconclusive and the second round is to be held in Delhi’s Vigyan Bhavan today. Minutes before the meeting, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said, “The government is constantly discussing issues with farmers. Today is the fourth round of talks and I’m hoping for a positive outcome.”

Farmer unions claim the new laws will lead to the dismantling of the minimum support price (MSP) system, leaving farmers to the mercy of corporate houses. But the government says the system will continue and the laws will give farmers more options to sell their crops.