PUNJAB: A ‘jatha’ of 101 farmers on Friday began its foot march to Delhi from their protest site at Shambhu border, but was stopped a few metres away by a multilayered barricading. The security personnel used teargas as some farmers reached near the barricades put up on the Haryana side of the Shambhu border. Haryana Police asked the farmers not to proceed further and cited a prohibitory order clamped under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). The Ambala district administration has banned any unlawful assembly of five or more persons in the district. The farmers are marching to force the Centre for a legal guarantee for minimum support price for crops. A few farmers holding farmers’ unions’ flags pushed the iron mesh, put up by the security personnel, down the bridge constructed over the Ghaggar River. The Haryana government on Friday suspended mobile internet and bulk SMS service in 11 villages of Ambala district till December 9. The ban was enforced in Dangdehri, Lohgarh, Manakpur, Dadiyana, Bari Ghel, Lhars, Kalu Majra, Devi Nagar, Saddopur, Sultanpur, and Kakru villages of Ambala at Friday noon. The farmers, gathered under the banner of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, have been demanding the Centre give them a legal guarantee for minimum support price for crops.
They 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. The ‘jatha’ began its march at 1 pm but after covering a few metres, they were forced to stop near a multi-layered barricading erected by the Haryana government. Chanting ‘Satnam Waheguru’ and holding farmers unions’ flags and carrying essential items, the ‘jatha’ crossed the initial layer barricades easily but could not proceed further. A few farmers pushed the iron mesh and barbed wire, and others even uprooted iron nails from the road – National Highway-44. Security personnel, who were standing behind the cemented barricades with iron grills set up for protection, were seen asking farmers not to move ahead as they did not have permission. One of the protesters climbed the roof of the tin where security forces had been stationed. He was forced to get down. Water cannon vehicles have also been deployed at the Shambhu border point. Earlier, the district authorities in Ambala ordered the closure of all government and private schools. Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher termed the 101 farmers part of the jatha ‘marjeevras’ – someone willing to die for a cause. He slammed the Haryana government for not allowing them to march even on foot. Pandher had on Thursday told reporters if the government stopped them from carrying out their march, it would be a “moral victory” for the farmers. “Their leaders at the Centre and in states have been regularly saying that if the farmers do not bring tractor-trolleys, there should be no objection. So if we go to Delhi on foot, there should be no reason to stop the farmers,” he said. Sikh Guru Teg Bahadur’s martyrdom day was also observed at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points by the farmers. Meanwhile, SKM leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal continued his fast-unto-death at the Khanauri border point on Friday. Protesting farmers had earlier attempted to march towards Delhi on February 13 and February 21 but they were stopped by security forces deployed at the border points. Besides MSP, the farmers are also demanding farm debt 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. Reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013 and compensation to the families of farmers who died during the previous agitation in 2020-21 are also part of their demands.
