Group of 101 farmers to resume march to Delhi from Shambhu border on December 14

Farmers will observe "Prarthna Diwas Ardas Dihada" at the Shambhu Border on Wednesday and a group of 101 farmers will march towards Delhi on December 14.

Published on: Dec 10, 2024, 22:34:24 IST

By HT News Desk

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Protesting farmers camping at the Shambhu border between Punjab and Haryana will observe "Prarthna Diwas Ardas Dihada" on Wednesday as part of their ongoing agitation, seeking demands that include a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP) and loan waivers.

Protesting farmers look at smoke trails made by falling tear gas shells used by the police near Shambhu border that divides northern Punjab and Haryana states, India, Feb.21, 2024. (AP)

Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher announced that farmers will observe "Prarthna Diwas Ardas Dihada" at the Shambhu Border on Wednesday, adding that a group of 101 farmers will march towards Delhi on Saturday, December 14.

"We are celebrating Prarthna Diwas Ardas Dihada at the border tomorrow, and we are inviting the whole country to pray for the success of this march. Jattha of 101 farmers will March towards Delhi on December 14 from the Shambhu border," Pandher told news agency ANI.

The group of 101 farmers planned to enter Delhi on December 6 but suspended their march after tear gas firing by police. The ‘Dilli chalo’ protest march resumed on Sunday, December 8, and was halted again due to the same reason.

Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher on Tuesday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Haryana saying that the PM was in the state but didn't speak about farmers.

"The Prime Minister was in Haryana but he didn't speak about farmers. Modi government is proud of its power...they do not want to talk to farmers. If they have done something for agriculture, they should speak up," Pandher said.

Also Read | Farmers' protest: Supreme Court rejects plea seeking clearance of blockades on Punjab highways

PM Modi was in Haryana's Panipat on Monday to formally unveil the LIC Bima Sakhi Yojana, aimed at empowering women with financial awareness and making them insurance agents.

This initiative of the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) is designed to empower women aged 18-70 years, who are Class X pass.

At the event, PM Modi also laid the foundation stone of the Main campus of Maharana Pratap Horticultural University, Karnal. The main campus and six regional research stations, spread over 495 acres, will be established at a cost of over ₹700 crore.

Haryana CM slams Congress

Meanwhile, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini slammed the Congress and the opposition parties on the issue of MSP for crops. Responding to the Congress's claim of support to farmers and its promise to give MSP to farmers, CM Saini said that the Congress governments in Himachal and Telangana had failed to buy crops at MSP.

"In the last 10 years, we have bought crops on MSP. The Congress government in Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, and Telangana cannot say that they will buy crops on 100 per cent MSP. People have understood their reality. In a month, AAP will also start talking about the EVMs. People have rejected them," ANI quoted CM Saini as saying.

Besides MSP, the protesting farmers are also demanding farm loan waiver, pension for farmers and farm labourers, no hike in electricity tariff, withdrawal of police cases (against farmers), and "justice" for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

Opposition leaders have slammed the government's handling of the situation, highlighting issues faced by farmers, such as fertilizer shortages and the MSP.

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HT News Desk
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