Punjab Farmers 'Delhi Chalo' March Stopped By Barricades; Cong Backs Protest, Mobile Ban In Ambala

New Delhi: A 'jatha' of 101 farmers on Friday began its 'Delhi Chalo' to Delhi from their protest site at Shambhu border, but was stopped a few metres away by a multilayered barricading.

Haryana police asked farmers not to proceed further, and cited 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. A heavy deployment of security personnel has been made on the Haryana side of the border.

The deputy commissioner has directed that no procession on foot, vehicles, or other modes will be allowed till further orders. Earlier, Ambala authorities ordered closure of all government and private schools in the district. Carrying essential items, farmers have already said that they will move ahead in a peaceful manner.

Farmers under the banner of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have been camping at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points since then. On Wednesday, the district administration of Ambala in Haryana asked Punjab farmers to reconsider their proposed march to Delhi and told them to contemplate further action only after getting permission from Delhi Police.

Delhi Police, however, said it has not received any request from Punjab farmers to march to Delhi. The Ambala administration has imposed Section 163 of the BNSS restricting the assembly of five or more persons in the district and has issued notices at the protest site near the Shambhu border. On Monday, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said a delegation of farmers met Ambala's superintendent of police and informed him about their foot march to Delhi on December 6.

Pandher said the delegation had assured the police that the march would be peaceful and traffic along the route would not be blocked. Besides the MSP, the farmers are demanding a debt waiver, pension for farmers and farm labourers, and no hike in electricity tariff. They are also demanding "justice" for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence, reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, and compensation to the families of the farmers who died during a previous agitation in 2020-21.

'Backtracking from MSP promise, barricading to stop farmers shows govt's cruelty'

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh in a show of solidarity with protesting farmers, announced the party's unequivocal support for their ongoing march to the Parliament on Friday. Speaking on the issue, Ramesh highlighted that the protest had gained momentum after securing backing from the Vice President and the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.

Taking to his official handle on X, Jairam Ramesh posted, "Farmers are marching to Parliament today. Their protest has received a huge booster dose after getting support from the Vice President and the Honourable Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. Farmers and their organizations are continuously agitating."

The Congress leader reiterated the farmers demands for: legal guarantee for MSP and fixing MSP at 1.5 times the comprehensive cost of cultivation as per the recommendations of MS Swaminathan Commission.
Ramesh highlighted the need for restructuring the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana and called for an independent agency to oversee agricultural trade policies.

Jairam Ramesh in his post said, "Just as banks waived off Rs 16 lakh crore of loans of defaulting private companies, farmers should get relief from lump sum loans in the same way." He said that decisions on import and export of agricultural commodities should be taken by an independent agency in which farmers are adequately represented.

Referring to the government's stance as "cruelty," Tiwari recalled the 2020 farmers' protests that resulted in the "deaths" of over 700 ryots.He highlighted the agreement between the government and farmers three years ago regarding the Minimum Support Price (MSP)."Under the leadership of PM Modi, the Agriculture Minister and farmers reached a compromise. If today the government is backtracking, this is nothing less than a betrayal," Tiwari stated. He emphasised the importance of addressing farmer welfare issues, urging the government to "listen to the Lord of the Earth - the farmers."Tiwari also condemned BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra's allegations against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.