Farmers to resume march to Delhi tomorrow, security beefed up at Shambhu border

On Friday, farmers halted their march towards Delhi after they were met with tear gas and resistance from security forces

After suspending their march to the national capital on Friday, 101 farmers from Punjab will resume their procession to Delhi on Sunday at noon amid tight security at the Shambhu border, reported news agency ANI.

Farmers react as they try to get cover from tear gas, while they march towards New Delhi to press for better crop prices promised to them in 2021 at the Shambhu barrier, a border crossing between Punjab and Haryana. REUTERS(REUTERS)

Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher at a press conference said,"We have not received any message from the Centre for holding talks. The (Narendra) Modi government is in no mood to hold talks."

He confirmed that the Samyukyta Kisan and Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha had decided to resume the march with 101 farmers on December 8 in a peaceful manner.

On Friday, farmers began their march towards Delhi but were met with tear gas and resistance from security forces at the Shambhu border in Haryana's Ambala district, where Section 163 of the BNSS had been imposed.

Shortly before the farmers' march, the Haryana government also suspended mobile internet and bulk SMS service in 11 villages of the Ambala district till December 9.

Under section 163, the unlawful assembly of five or more people was prohibited. The march was temporarily halted after 16 farmers suffered injuries and one of them lost hearing ability because of the teargas shelling by Haryana security personnel according to Pandher.

Apart from the farmers on march, another farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal is registering his protest with a fast unto death at the Khanauri border. Farmers claimed that Dallewal had lost eight kilogrammes of weight.

Multilayered barricades had been set up at the border on Friday, with security being enhanced more in preparation for the march tomorrow.

The march on December 8 will mark the fourth attempt by farmers to lead a procession to the parliament in Delhi. On February 13 and 21, the farmers had attempted a ‘Dilli Chalo’ march with tractors and trolleys which was paused after a farmer was killed during clashes with the police.

The farmers have demanded a legal guarantee to the minimum support price (MSP) for crops as well as "justice" for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence and compensation to the families of the farmers who died during a previous protest in 2020-21.

They have also called for a debt waiver, pension for farmers and farm labourers, reinstatement of Land Acquisition Act and no hike in electricity tariff.