More than 100 farmers are preparing to march towards Delhi on Friday for their demands.
New Delhi:
Ahead of the farmers’ march to Delhi on Friday, security has been tightened at the Shambhu border on NH-44, with Haryana and Punjab police deploying significant resources to control the growing crowd of protesters.
More than 100 farmers are preparing to march towards Delhi on Friday for their demands.
On Thursday, Haryana Police strengthened the barricades near the border, adding three new layers to the already extensive seven-layer setup including walls, wire netting and movable traffic barriers featuring iron nails and barbed wire. A tent was also set up as part of the preparations.
Several unions, including Bharatiya Kisan Union-Ekta and others from Haryana, are rallying under the banners of Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) and Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) to put forward their demands during the march.
Farmers from Punjab’s districts like Tarn Taran, Amritsar, Firozpur, Bathinda, Sangrur and Patiala as well as Haryana’s districts like Ambala and Sirsa continue to arrive at the protest site at Shambhu border.
Dialogue is the only way to resolve the issues of farmers, who should talk to Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Minister of State for Rural Development Kamlesh Paswan said on Thursday, as he extended his hand towards the protesting farmers in Punjab. . Haryana border.
“No other government has done as much work for farmers as the Modi government has done. We have helped them in every field,” Mr Paswan told reporters at a press conference here.
He said, “I would urge them (farmers) that our Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan is very accessible, for anyone who wants to discuss any issue, there cannot be a better place than this to discuss.”
Protests that upset others will not help, Mr Paswan said, adding that farmers’ issues can only be “resolved through dialogue”.
Meanwhile, while addressing the press conference at Shambhu border, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said that the farmers will move towards Delhi.
The farmers, gathered under the banner of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, had earlier announced a foot march to the national capital. They have many demands, including the demand for legal guarantee of minimum support price for crops.
Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said a ‘jatha’ of 101 farmers will start a foot march to Delhi from the Shambhu border protest site at 1 pm on Friday.
However, the Ambala district administration has issued an order under Section 163 of the Indian Civil Security Code (BNSS), prohibiting any unlawful assembly of five or more persons in the district.
According to the order issued by the Deputy Commissioner, there has been a ban on taking out any procession on foot, vehicle or other means till further orders.
Police in Ambala also issued an alert on Thursday regarding the farmers’ plan to march to Delhi and sent senior officers to the border to assess the security situation there.
Central paramilitary forces have also been deployed along with multi-layer barricading on the Haryana border.
The Ambala district administration on Wednesday asked farmers to reconsider their march and consider any action only after taking permission from Delhi Police.
Meanwhile, addressing a press conference at the Shambhu border on Thursday, Mr Pandher said, “The jatha will march towards Delhi (on Friday). What the government will do is for them to decide. We will march towards Delhi at 1 pm.” Will begin our march.” From Shambhu Seema.”
He also said that if the government stops them from holding the march, it would be a “moral victory” for the farmers.
“Their leaders at the Center and in the states have been regularly saying that if farmers do not bring tractor-trolleys, there should be no objection. So if we go to Delhi on foot, there should be no reason to stop the farmers.” He added.
The farmers, gathered under the banner of Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, had earlier announced a foot march to the national capital demanding legal guarantee of minimum support price for crops, among several other demands.
They have been camping at Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 after security forces stopped their march towards Delhi.
Invoking Section 163 of the BNSS, the Ambala Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Magistrate, in an order dated November 30, prohibited unlawful assembly of five or more persons and taking out processions on foot, in vehicles or by any other means.
“There is apprehension that a large number of protesters will come from Punjab and Haryana and gather at Shambhu border to proceed towards Delhi. Therefore, appropriate steps need to be taken at the border points and within the district, including issuing prohibitory orders.” Under Section 163 of the BNSS, so that movement of any such person is not allowed without prior permission,” the order said.
It says, “Any person or group on foot or in vehicles who may be used to cause damage to public/private property and/or confront law enforcement agencies, thereby disrupting the maintenance of peace and public order.” Maybe, has been banned.”
It said that this order will not apply to police and other public servants deployed on duty to maintain law and order.
“This order will come into effect from November 30, 2024, and will continue until further orders,” it said.
“There is information that the agitators may gherao Parliament or permanently camp on the national highways leading to the National Capital Region,” the order said. The order said the agitators have informed the Haryana Police. No permission has been taken under Section 69 of the Act.
Speaking to journalists in Ambala on Thursday, Superintendent of Police Surinder Singh Bhoria appealed to all the farmers to maintain peace and seek permission to march to Delhi.
“I want to assure everyone that the district police have made adequate arrangements to maintain law and order,” he said.
When Bhoria was told that farmer leaders have said that 101 of them will march to Delhi peacefully, he said, “As I have told you, it is our collective responsibility to follow the law. Whatever the provisions of the law , they should.” be followed.”
Mr Pandher, on his part, told reporters, “This is not the Punjab-Haryana border, but looks like an international zone. If they (the authorities) have their way, they will not allow even a single bird to cross the border. They are our We are being treated as if we are enemies of another country, whereas we are citizens of this land who want to march peacefully to the national capital with our demands.
Pandher said, “The first batch leaving from Shambhu border has been named ‘Marjeevada Jatha’. It will include 101 farmers who will march towards Delhi on foot from Shambhu border.”
Referring to the recent meeting held between a delegation of farmers and Ambala SP, Pandher said, ‘There was a proposal for talks from the government, on which we said that farmers are ready for talks only when the proposal is made by the Center or Came from the Chief Minister. “Minister’s office in Haryana or Punjab.”
Responding to a question, Pandher said that after the first batch, other batches will also move towards the national capital in the subsequent days.
Responding to another question, he said that if the Haryana government uses force to stop the first ‘batch’ of 101 farmers from marching towards Delhi, “it will only expose the government”.
“If they have deployed central forces, drones or are testing water cannons, it shows that they intend to stop us,” he said.
Pandher said, “Tomorrow the martyrdom day of Guru Teg Bahadur Ji will be celebrated at both Shambhu and Khanauri border points. The jatha will be dedicated to the martyrdom of Guru Teg Bahadur Ji.”
Earlier on Thursday, Punjab DIG (Patiala Range) Mandeep Singh Sidhu and SSP (Patiala) Nanak Singh had met Pandher and Surjit Singh Phul at Shambhu border.
Sidhu said the farmers have assured the police that they will maintain peace and will not include tractor-trolleys in the march.
Farmer leaders had earlier announced that the first ‘jatha’ of farmers would be led by Satnam Singh Pannu, Surinder Singh Chautala, Surjit Singh Phool and Baljinder Singh.
Meanwhile, SKM leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal continued his fast unto death at Khanauri border point on Thursday.
Apart from MSP, farmers also demand farm loan waiver, pension for farmers and farm laborers, no hike in electricity tariffs, withdrawal of police cases (against farmers) and “justice” for the victims of 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence. Are doing.
Restoring the Land Acquisition Act, 2013 and compensating the families of farmers killed during the previous agitation in 2020-21 are also part of their demands.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
