Addressing the media at the Shambhu border, farmer leaders Sarwan Singh Pandher and Jagjit Singh Dallewal called on the government to remove barricades at the Shambhu border, enabling them to march peacefully to Delhi. They expressed their willingness to make sacrifices for the nation, stating, “We are ready to die in the interest of our nation… if any confrontation happens, those who had put up these barricades will be responsible… those who brought in paramilitary, who fired tear gas and rubber bullets at us, they will be responsible for what is gonna happen today,” as articulated by Sarwan Singh Pandher.
Punjab’s agitating farmer leaders are set to resume their ‘Dilli Chalo’ protest at 11 am on Wednesday, demanding a legal guarantee of Minimum Support Price (MSP) on all crops. According to government estimates, around 14,000 individuals, accompanied by 1,200 tractor-trolleys, 300 cars, and 10 mini-buses, have gathered along the Punjab-Haryana border. Concurrently, the Haryana government has extended the ban on mobile internet and bulk SMS services in Ambala, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad, and Sirsa until Wednesday.
Previously, farmer leaders rejected the Centre’s proposal to procure pulses, maize, and cotton at MSP by government agencies for a five-year period, asserting that it was not in the farmers’ interest.
The protestors, numbering in the thousands, initiated their march to Delhi on February 13 but encountered a halt at the Haryana border, leading to confrontations with security personnel. Since then, the farmers have maintained a presence at the Shambhu and Khanauri points between Punjab and Haryana.
Organized by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, the “Delhi Chalo” march is aimed at compelling the BJP-led Centre to fulfill their demands, including a legal guarantee on the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops and the waiver of farm loans.
Despite the government’s proposal to purchase moong dal, urad dal, tur dal, maize, and cotton at the MSP for the next five years, the protesting farmer leaders have officially turned down the offer. Jagjit Singh Dallewal, leader of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political), asserted that it did not align with the farmers’ interests.
Four rounds of discussions between the farmers and Union ministers on February 8, 12, 15, and 18 have yielded no conclusive results. At the Shambhu border point, farmers have brought excavators to navigate the barricades established by Haryana security personnel, with some carrying masks for protection.
Stringent security measures are in effect, and the Haryana Police has urged their counterparts in Punjab to seize bulldozers and earthmoving equipment, citing a potential threat to security forces. In light of the ongoing agitation, the Haryana government extended the ban on mobile internet and bulk text-message services in seven districts until Wednesday.
Farmer leader Abhimanyu Kohar underscored the commitment to a peaceful march towards Delhi from the Shambhu and Khanauri border points, emphasizing their intent to remain non-violent. Kisan Mazdoor Morcha leader Sarwan Singh Pandher called for a daylong Parliament session to enact legislation on the MSP for crops, outlining three key demands – a legal guarantee on MSP, implementation of the “C2 plus 50 per cent” formula recommended by the Swaminathan Commission, and farm loan waiver. The farmers are also advocating for pension provisions, no increase in electricity tariffs, withdrawal of police cases, justice for the victims of the Lakhimpur Kheri violence in 2021, reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, and compensation for families of farmers who lost their lives during a previous agitation in 2020-21.