Chandigarh, December 6
Thousands of protesting farmers, mainly from Punjab, have started gathering at the two inter-state borders of Haryana in support of the ‘Delhi Chalo’ protest march by a delegation of 101 farmers. The march will begin around 1 pm on their long-pending demands including legal guarantee of Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops and loan waiver.
The march to the national capital was announced after two attempts by the United Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) to reach Delhi in February were thwarted by security forces. The farmers have been sitting on the border of Shambhu and Khanuri since February 13.
It is to be noted that the indefinite hunger strike on the Khanuri border has entered the 11th day (on December 6). Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher told the press that a delegation of 101 farmers will walk peacefully from Shambhu border to Delhi at 1 pm today. The last round of talks between the farmers’ leaders and the central government yielded no results as the protesters remained adamant on their demands, including reaching the national capital on foot instead of tractor-trolleys.
Punjab and Haryana administration made strict
Police of both the states have been deployed and the borders have been sealed to prevent forced entry of farmers into Haryana. However, there are no reports so far of any violence or use of force to disperse the protesters. Superintendent of Police Surendra Singh Bhoria posted in Ambala, Haryana told the media that all arrangements have been made to maintain law and order. I request all farmers to maintain peace.
They can go to Delhi after completing the necessary procedures. The District Magistrate of Ambala has also banned processions on foot, by vehicle or by any other means. Unauthorized gathering of five or more people is prohibited in Ambala district.
The spirits of farmers are high
Farmer leaders warned that they have come prepared for a long struggle. Many of them brought vegetables, flour sacks, pulses and cooking oil on their tractor-trolleys. Protesting farmers, including men, women, young and old, are gathering on the borders of Haryana on tractor-trolleys, cars and motorcycles.
The assembled farmers have pitched their tents and parked their vehicles, mostly tractor-trolleys, on the roads leading to the inter-state borders. They have even set up a makeshift kitchen to serve food to the protesters. Gurdev Singh, a farmer from Moga, said, “We are carrying two-three months’ worth of ration.”
Meanwhile, both the Punjab and Haryana police have issued a travel advisory, asking travelers to avoid certain areas along the Shambhu and Khanuri borders in view of the protests. IANS