Chandigarh: Upset over political parties across the spectrum failing to address their demands including a legal assurance of minimum support price (MSP), farmers from Punjab have decided to resume their “Delhi Chalo” march on from Friday (December 6) to press their demands before the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre.
The announcement by the farmers– under the aegis of Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) and the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) – has already resulted in movements of security personnel along the inter-state boundaries of Punjab and Haryana where the farmers have been camping for the last 10 months.
In February this year, the first attempt by farmers to reach Delhi via Shambhu and Khanauri border points was met with stiff resistance from security agencies in BJP ruled Haryana, leaving one farmer dead and scores of farmers and security persons injured.
Subsequently, the protesting farmers camped on these border points, with even the Supreme Court intervening in the matter.
Now, farmer leaders from Punjab have once again renewed the call of marching to Delhi over their pending demands. The planned march also coincides with a similar agitation led by farmers from Uttar Pradesh, who too kicked off their ‘Dilli Chalo’ march – although with different set of demands – and have been currently made to stop at the Noida-Delhi border.
Much like the previous instances, the Haryana government is in no mood to give them smooth passage to Delhi.
During their meeting with farmer unions on Monday (December 2), Haryana made it clear that it will not let Punjab farmers pass through the state in their tractor trolleys. The state authorities even asked farmers if they had indeed secured permission from Delhi police to hold the protest in the national capital.
Another round of meetings between farmers and Haryana authorities are being held to shed more light if farmers would get smooth passage through the state to reach Delhi.
Farmers plan foot march
In wake of the continued opposition by the BJP government in Haryana, farmer leaders appear to have changed their strategy. Instead of leaving Delhi with thousands of supporters on their tractors, the farmers have announced that they will leave for the national capital on foot in small jathas (contingent).
The first contingent, as farmers unions announced during their press conference in Chandigarh on December 1, will be led by farmer leaders Satnam Singh Pannu, Swinder Singh Chhatala, Surjit Singh Phool, and Baljinder Singh Chandiwala, who will leave Shambhu border at 9 am on December 6 and cover the 235-km march to Delhi by making intermediate stops at different locations.
It will be followed by other contingents marching for Delhi. While many farmers will be part of the march, the outfits have decided not to vacate their current dharna spots at Shambhu and Khanauri till the time they are given a proper place to protest in Delhi.
They argued that these borders would only be vacated once they get a permanent place to protest in Delhi. Otherwise, the status quo will continue.
After holding a meeting with Haryana police officials, Sarwan Singh Pandher, one of the key farmer leaders, told the media on Monday (December 2) that they were upset that members of parliament were not addressing their demands, despite the fact that farmers have been sitting on the road for over 10 months now.
“Hence, we decided to renew our protest and informed police officials in Haryana to allow us pass through the state as the march will be peaceful and they would not block any traffic on the way,” said Pandher.
He added that recently, Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu and Haryana’s Agriculture Minister indicated that farmers can walk to Delhi. They should uphold their commitments, said Pandher.
Chances of confrontation if permission is denied, say farmer leaders
Meanwhile, the Haryana government has not officially made it clear if they would allow the farmers to proceed towards Delhi. Sources said that before December 6, another round of talks between Haryana authorities and farmer unions is expected on Wednesday (December 4), which will offer some clarity about the situation.
Farmer leaders say that in case permission is denied, there are chances of confrontation. The extent to which farmers will push to fulfil their commitment of reaching Delhi will decide the future course of their protest, said observers.
Meanwhile, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said that farmers should protest in Punjab where the Aam Aadmi Party is in power or in other states that are ruled by the Congress.
Saini claimed that Haryana is the first state that is giving minimum support price (MSP) on 24 crops to farmers.
