Farmers’ protest: Will intensify stir if demands not met, say khaps
The ongoing agitation of farmers under the banner of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) (non-political) has started gaining momentum in the state with khaps and farmer unions holding meetings to chalk out a strategy if the government does not agree to their demands.
The ongoing agitation of farmers under the banner of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) (non-political) has started gaining momentum in the state with khaps and farmer unions holding meetings to chalk out a strategy if the government does not agree to their demands.
Farmers and labourers under the banner of the SKM (non-political) has launched the agitation, ‘Delhi Chalo’, on February 13 for a law guaranteeing minimum support price (MSP) on all crops, complete loan waiver of farmers and labourers, withdrawal of cases registered against farmers during the 2020-21 stir, compensation for farmers injured in Lakhimpur Kheri incident in Uttar Pradesh and various other demands.
Farmers and khap leaders in Jind’s Gogrian village held a meeting and announced to start a march towards Delhi’s Singhu and Tikri borders.
The sarpanch of Gogrian village, Mandeep Boora said they have formed a committee at village levels and will move towards Delhi borders on tractors if farmers’ meeting with three Union ministers remains inconclusive.
The farmers on Sunday held a mahapanchayat at Kheri Chopta village in Hisar where they decided to intensify the stir in Haryana and help Punjab farmers to enter Haryana.
Hisar-based farm leader Vikas Sisar said that they are waiting for the outcome of farmers’ meeting with the Union ministers today and, thereafter, they will take a strong decision if the government fails to accept their demands.
“Our leaders, Suresh Koth and Ravi Aazd, were arrested by the Hisar police today when we announced to move towards the Khanauri border. We will move towards Delhi borders on Monday if the meeting remains unfruitful,” he added.
BKU spokesman Rakesh Tikait had announced on Saturday that the farmers of Haryana Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand will take out tractor marches outside DCs’ offices on February 21.
Jind khaps meet SP
Twenty-four khaps of Bangar area met Jind superintendent of police (SP) Sumit Kumar on Sunday at Garhi police station and gave him an ultimatum to remove barricades placed at various points by February 21, otherwise they will remove them.
Gurwinder Sandhu, who heads Majra Khap, said they have told the SP to remove barricades so that farmers can visit their fields, restart internet services as students’ board exams are round the corner, stop raiding farmers’ houses who are supplying milk and vegetables to farmers sitting at Khanauri border and release detained farmers by February 21.
“We will hold a mahapanchayat at Uchana on February 20 to decide the future course of action in support of agitating farmers. We asked the SP to remove barricades and allow Punjab farmers to move freely towards Delhi. The police have sealed the entire state and booked farmers who are going towards the protest site,” he added.
DGP takes stock of situation
Haryana DGP Shatrujeet Kapur on Saturday evening visited the Data Singhwala, Khanauri, to take stock of the situation. He directed police officials to ensure no entry of Punjab farmers inside Haryana territory and make sufficient arrangements to deal with the situation.
Will launch big agitation if meeting fails: Charuni
After a mahapanchayat of different rights organisations in Kurukshetra, BKU (Charuni) president Gurnam Singh Charuni said a joint agitation will be launched by the farmer unions and the khap panchayats if the discussions between the farmer leaders and the central ministers fail.
Charuni said, “It has been decided that if the discussion between the government and the farmers fail, a big agitation will be launched in Haryana. We will wait for the outcome of the Chandigarh meeting and give the next call on Monday.”
He said farmers from Delhi will also be taken along if the agitation has to be taken to the national capital.
“A four-member committee has been formed to hold meetings with farmer unions in Delhi so that they also participate in case any protest is organised there,” he added.
Bahadur Mehla, spokesperson of Karnal-based Bhartiya Kisan Union (Sir Chotu Ram), on Sunday alleged that their district president, Chhatrapal Jaisinghpura, has been kept under house arrest by the cops, a claim that couldn’t be verified by the police.
“The authorities first kept him at a police station and now detained him at his residence. If the forces are not removed from outside his residence, we will launch a protest,” Mehla said.