December 8, 2024: New Delhi: Farmers are set to resume their ‘Dilli Chalo’ march today, aiming to press their demands after facing police resistance two days ago at the Shambhu border between Haryana and Punjab. The protest comes as farmer groups highlight long-standing issues like Minimum Support Price (MSP) guarantees and justice for past grievances.
Key Developments in the Story:
- March to Delhi Continues: Sarwan Singh Pandher, a leader of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political), announced that 101 farmers will march peacefully towards Delhi at noon today.
- No Call for Dialogue: Pandher stated that the government has not reached out for talks, signaling that officials may not yet be open to negotiation.
- Police Preparations: Heavy police deployment was observed at the Shambhu border this morning. Visuals showed barricades and nails fixed on roads to block vehicles from advancing.
- Appeal to Media: Haryana Police has advised journalists to maintain distance from protest gatherings, with instructions to stop reporters roughly 1 km before the Punjab-Haryana border.
- Farmers’ Demands: Protestors are pushing for several key issues, including legal guarantees for MSP, a farm debt waiver, pensions for farmers, and a rollback on electricity tariff hikes.
- Justice for Lakhimpur Kheri Victims: The withdrawal of cases against farmers and justice for victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence are also central to their demands. Additionally, they seek the reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013.
- Clashes at Shambhu Border: On Friday, protests turned tense when police used tear gas to disperse the farmers, leaving at least 16 injured. One protestor reportedly suffered hearing loss due to the shelling.
- Farmers Halt Footmarch Temporarily: The march was briefly paused at Shambhu following Friday’s confrontation with police forces.
- Call for Unity: Rakesh Tikait, spokesperson for the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), urged farmers to remain united, stating that divisions among them are often exploited to weaken their cause.
- Next Steps: Farmer leaders remain determined to push forward and have called for peaceful engagement while waiting for government authorities to initiate discussions.
The farmers’ march, a continuation of longstanding protests, underscores the persistence of agricultural issues and their unresolved disputes with government policies.
Tags:
#FarmersProtest #DelhiChalo #MSPGuarantee #FarmersRights #ShambhuBorder #KisanMorcha #AgriculturalPolicy
