CHANDIGARH, Feb 13: Farmers from Punjab commenced their ‘Delhi Chalo’ march on Tuesday morning, seeking to push their demands forward after inconclusive discussions with two Union ministers. They plan to head towards Delhi from the Ambala-Shambhu, Khanauri-Jind, and the Dabwali borders.
Several farmers, accompanied by their tractor trolleys, initiated the march around 10 am from Fatehgarh Sahib, moving towards Delhi via the Shambhu border. Another group is making its way to the national capital from Mehal Kalan in Sangrur through the Khanauri border.
Authorities in Haryana have bolstered the state’s borders with Punjab at numerous points in Ambala, Jind, Fatehabad, Kurukshetra, and Sirsa, using concrete blocks, iron nails, and barbed wire to deter the proposed march. Riot control vehicles, including water cannons, have been deployed at various locations along the Punjab and Haryana borders.
The Haryana government has imposed restrictions under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) in 15 districts, prohibiting gatherings of five or more people and banning any demonstrations or marches with tractor trolleys.
Security measures in Delhi have been heightened, with multiple barricades, concrete blocks, iron nails, and container walls erected at border points.
Tractor trolleys from different parts of Punjab set out on Monday to join the protest march, packed with essential items such as dry ration, mattresses, utensils, and even an excavator to break barricades, as per statements from farmers in Amritsar.
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha announced the march to press the Centre to accept their demands, including the enactment of a law guaranteeing a Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops.
Sarwan Singh Pandher, the general secretary of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, expressed frustration over the deadlock with the Centre, emphasizing that they sought resolution through dialogue but felt compelled to march towards Delhi if their demands were not met.
Following a five-hour-long second round of talks with the Centre, Union Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda stated that a consensus was reached on most issues, proposing a committee formation to resolve others.
Meanwhile, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal mentioned the government’s proposal for committee formation on various issues but noted the need to apprise farmers of the meeting’s outcomes.
Amidst demands for legal MSP guarantee, implementation of the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations, and other farmer-centric policies, security measures have been significantly heightened in Haryana, with paramilitary personnel and police deployed across districts.
The Haryana Police issued a traffic advisory, suggesting alternative routes for commuters traveling between Chandigarh and Delhi to avoid potential disruptions.
