Indus Valley Times

New Delhi, Dec 6 : A Farmer leader on Friday evening announced suspension of ‘ Delhi Chalo’ march, as some of the protestors suffered injuries due to tear gas shells fired by Haryana police.

A ‘jatha’ of 101 farmers Friday began their foot march to Delhi from their protest site at Shambhu border at 1 pm, but was stopped a few metres away by a multilayered barricading.

Haryana security personnel lobbed teargas shells to disperse them as they reached near the multi-layered barricades erected there.

Multiple rounds of teargas shells were fired at the protesting farmers to force them to go back. Some farmers suffered injuries and were taken to a hospital in ambulances, the protesters claimed.

Visuals shared by news agency IANS showed chaotic scenes at a police barricade across National Highway 44.

The Haryana government has imposed prohibitory orders and suspended mobile internet and bulk SMS services in 11 villages in Ambala district, with the restrictions set to remain in place until next week.

The announcement to start the march towards the national capital came after two attempts by farmer groups under the banner of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) to reach Delhi in February were stopped by security forces.

A heavy deployment of security personnel has been made on the Haryana side of the Ambala-Delhi border.

The Ambala district administration has already issued an order under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), restricting any unlawful assembly of five or more persons in the district.

Ambala authorities ordered the closure of all government and private schools in the district. “The government and private schools will remain closed on Friday,” District Education Officer Ambala Suresh Kumar said.

A multilayered barricading is already in place at the Shambhu border point — Rajpura (Punjab)-Ambala (Haryana)– on National Highway-44.

Water cannons have also been deployed at the Shambhu border.

 Police barricading at Shambhu border, in Patiala district, Punjab, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. Farmers to begin their march towards the national capital from Punjab’s Shambhu Border on Friday.

Police barricading at Shambhu border, in Patiala district, Punjab, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. Farmers to begin their march towards the national capital from Punjab’s Shambhu Border on Friday.PTI

Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher termed the 101 farmers who will begin the march ‘marjeevras’, someone willing to die for a cause.

Pandher, who said the march would be carried out in a “peaceful manner,” slammed the Haryana administration’s prohibiting the foot march.

“The march has entered its 297th day and the indefinite hunger strike at the Khanauri border has entered its 11th day. At 1 pm, a ‘jatha’ of 101 farmers will move towards Delhi from the Shambhu Border,” he told ANI

Pandher added that it has been almost 10 months, and not a single one of their demands has been fulfilled by the government at the Centre. He further said that the first “jatha” of farmers would be led by Satnam Singh Pannu, Surinder Singh Chautala, Surjit Singh Phul, and Baljinder Singh.

On Thursday, he said farmers will not take any tractor-trolley with them.

The farmers, many of whom have come prepared for a long haul, have brought along vegetables, sacks of flour, lentils, and cooking oil on their tractor-trailers. The protesting farmers, comprising men and women – both young and old – and school and college students, are travelling in tractor-trailers, cars, and motorcycles. They have set up tents and makeshift kitchens to serve food to the protesters.

“We are carrying the ration that lasts up to two-three months,” said Gurdev Singh, a farmer from Moga town.

Farmers have been camping at the borders of Shambhu and Khanauri border points, since February 13. They are primarily seeking a legal guarantee for the minimum support price (MSP) for crops, among other demands, including a debt waiver, pension for farmers and farm labourers, and no hike in electricity tariffs.

The farmers are also seeking “justice” for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence, reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, and compensation for the families of farmers who died during the previous agitation in 2020-21.

Police from both states have been deployed in strength, and borders have been sealed to prevent the forceful entry of farmers into Haryana. However, there have been no reports of violence or the use of force so far to disperse the protesters.

On Wednesday, the district administration of Ambala in Haryana asked Punjab farmers to reconsider their proposed march to Delhi and advised them to seek permission from the Delhi Police before taking further action. Delhi Police, however, said it had not received any request from the farmers to march to Delhi.

“Delhi Police is on alert, and security has been tightened at the border points of the city. A skeletal deployment has been made at the Singhu Border, but it may increase depending on the situation at the Shambhu border on the Punjab-Haryana border,” a senior police officer told PTI.

Traffic disruptions are expected due to the security arrangements at the border and in the central part of Delhi, the officer said. The police are also monitoring developments at the Noida border, where another group of farmers from Uttar Pradesh is observing a sit-in.

Farmers had earlier attempted to march into the national capital on February 13 and February 21, but they were stopped by security forces at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders on the Punjab-Haryana borders.

-PTI