Farmers won't resume Delhi march tomorrow, says farm leader Pandher

A group of farmers under Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha made two attempts to march to Delhi on foot on December 6 and 8

No ‘jatha’ (group) of farmers will resume the march to Delhi on Tuesday, Punjab farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher announced on Monday.

Farmers cover their faces with cloth as police fire tear gas during a protest at the Punjab-Haryana state Shambhu border in Punjab on Sunday.(HT_PRINT)

A group of farmers under the banner of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha made two attempts to march to Delhi on foot on December 6 and 8 but they were not allowed to move ahead by the Haryana security personnel.

Addressing the media at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points separately on Monday, Pandher claimed that the BJP-led Centre was "confused" after farmers decided to march on foot to the national capital.

"Now central minister Manohal Lal Khattar is saying farmers should come by other vehicles. When Khattar was the chief minister of Haryana, he used to say that farmers should come on foot. Earlier, the entire BJP was objecting to farmers going by tractor trolleys to Delhi. The government is confused on what to say and what not to say. This is lowering the credibility of the government among people," PTI quoted Pandher as saying at Shambhu border.

What Manohar Lal Khattar said?

Union minister Manohar Lal Khattar said on farmers' protest,"Nobody is stopping them from going to Delhi but there is a way. There is no gain in doing such a kind of protest."

When asked about farmers sayingthat they were going on foot, he took a swipe at them, saying “there are so many vehicles and they can go using those.”

Farmer leader Pandher slammed Khattar for his statement.

"Khattar is saying there is no bar on farmers going to Delhi and they can come by using other vehicles. When he was the chief minister he used to say that farmers should give up tractor trolley and come on foot," he said.

"Another Union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu said they will welcome the farmers coming on foot to Delhi. The Haryana Agriculture minister too was saying they will welcome farmers coming on foot, while Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini is asking farmers that they should seek permission from the Delhi Police before going there," Pandher said, according to PTI.

“So be it the central ministers or Haryana ministers, they are confused as to what statement they have to give,” he said.

The protesting farmers have been camping at Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 after their march to Delhi was stopped by security forces.

Besides a legal guarantee to MSP for crops, the farmers are demanding a debt waiver, pension for farmers and farm labourers, no hike in electricity tariff, withdrawal of police cases, and "justice" for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

(With PTI inputs)