Farmers’ ‘Delhi chalo’ march has been halted till February 29 as groups leading the agitation have shifted their focus to the death of a young agitator in the ongoing protest. Farmer leaders have announced that they will decide their next course of action on February 29 while agitators will stay put at the two protest sites on the Punjab-Haryana border, Shambhu and Khanauri.
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), the farmer groups spearheading the protests, have outlined a list of activities planned for the next week. A candle march is scheduled for Saturday, followed by seminars on farmer-related issues tomorrow. On February 26, the protestors intend to burn effigies of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and ministers. In addition, several meetings of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha forums are slated for the subsequent two days.
The farmers, who observed a ‘black day’ on Friday over the death of a 22-year-old protesting farmer, will take out tractor marches on highways across the country on February 26 and hold a Mahapanchayat in Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on March 14.
Subhkaran Singh, died last Wednesday amid clashes between Haryana Police and Punjab farmers. Farmers had put their ‘Delhi Chalo’ protest march on hold for two days after the incident, which had left at least 12 other peasants injured.
Haryana Police in Ambala District had said that any loss to the government and private property during the protest will be compensated by attaching the property and seizure of bank accounts of the protestors.
The farmer leaders had, on last Sunday, rejected a government proposal in the fourth round of talks, leading to the resumption of the protest. One of the farmer leaders on Thursday said they rejected a fresh invite for talks from the Centre.
Farmers from Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh on February 13 morning began their ‘Delhi Chalo’ march to press for their demands, amid heavy barricading at the Haryana-Punjab border and entry points into the National Capital. However, most of them were stopped by security personnel at Shambhu and Khanauri points on Punjab’s border with Haryana. The protesters have stayed put at the two border points since then.
Over 200 farmers’ unions, including the Samyukta Kisan Morcha and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, are taking part in the march to press the Centre to accept their demands.
Besides a legal guarantee of MSP, the farmers are demanding the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations, pension for farmers and farm labourers, farm debt waiver, no hike in electricity tariff, withdrawal of police cases and “justice” for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence, reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, and compensation to the families of the farmers who died during a previous agitation in 2020-21.
Here’s a list of all the latest updates related to the farmers’ agitation.
- The Haryana government has further extended the suspension of mobile internet and bulk SMS services in seven districts by a day till Saturday. Mobile internet and bulk SMS services were first suspended in Ambala, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad and Sirsa on February 11 and the suspension was extended on February 13, 15, 17, 19, 20 and 21.
A police personnel was injured during a clash between protesting farmers and law enforcement in Haryana’s Hisar district on Friday. The confrontation took place in Kheri Chopta village, where reports depicted a scene of chaos. Tear gas shells were fired and police resorted to lathi charges in response to stone-throwing protesters, which erupted when farmers were prevented from advancing towards Khanauri on the Punjab border.
Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait said, “On February 16, we will take tractors to the highway, towards the way that goes to Delhi, we will enter into the state highway and central highway. It will be a one-day programme and then we will return.”
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