Farmers halt ‘Dilli Chalo’ march for two days, condemn Centre’s action against protesters

SHAMBHU BORDER (Haryana): The general secretary of the Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, Sarwan Singh Pandher, on Thursday said that they have suspended their ‘Dilli Chalo’ protest march for two days to take stock of the ongoing situation on the Shambhu border in Haryana and further decision will be taken accordingly.

The farmers’ leader condemned the Central government’s action against the protesters through para-military forces injuring hundreds.

“We had earlier announced that our movement will be completely peaceful, but if unrest came up, then we had asked all the youth to stop proceeding and the leaders themselves had decided to take it forward from there. After the talks started, the central government ran away from the talks, then we started getting inauspicious news from Khanuri. This Shubhakaran Singh, his age is 23 years, was shot in his head and three more were seriously injured. So, in this kind of situation, to continue the talks, I did not think that we would be able to succeed. Looking at the entire situation, as the centre has fled”, Pandher said on Thursday.

“For now, this movement is in a halt for two days. Whatever is going on, it will continue here only. After taking stock of the situation of all the disgusting things that are going on, we will take further decision keeping in mind all these things”, he said.

#WATCH | On the 'Delhi Chalo' march today, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher says, "We tried our best from our side. We attended the meetings, every point was discussed and now the decision has to be taken by the central government. We will remain peaceful…The Prime Minister… pic.twitter.com/J2PXoUIskd

— ANI (@ANI) February 21, 2024

Pandher further alleged that the security forces attacked the farmers who were moving bare hands and also destroyed their vehicles.

“Farmer leaders have also moved forward, we were moving peacefully, there were few farmer leaders before us, there was tremendous shelling on us, rubber bullets were fired, then we went ahead, then the same was done again. One farmer from Haryana, was put in a sack, his legs were broken and thrown in the fields and other things are also coming in front of us”, he said.

“As we are moving forward with such bare hands, it is still not allowing us to move forward, so the whole country and the world are watching the face of this government, they are getting to know about it and apart from this, the police force in Ghanori moved forward, they moved forward and attacked people, over 30 tractor trolleys have been destroyed, vehicles have been destroyed. this is a condemnable action, the way the Government of India is acting”, the farmer leader remarked.

“It is completely clear that bullets were fired, then you were also on Shambhu, you have seen that we have made complete arrangements when we were remaining completely peaceful, the leader was still giving a speech, then the first tear gas was thrown at us”, he added.

#WATCH | Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher says, "…We have told the govt that you can kill us but please don't oppress the farmers. We request the Prime Minister to come forward and put an end to this protest by announcing a law on the MSP guarantee for the farmers…The… pic.twitter.com/pwBEiPH9RX

— ANI (@ANI) February 21, 2024

The farmer leader urged the farmers and also people from across the country to come forward and protest against the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government. “This kind of thing is not right, we would like to tell the entire country, whether it is Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Bihar, Orissa, South India, the whole of India. India should rise, protest against the Modi government, it is a big issue for the whole country, MSP legal guarantee,” he said.

He also criticised the Punjab government and the opposition parties in the country including the Congress for not ‘clarifying’ their stance. “I had said that whatever opposition party there is, currently there are 13 MPs in Rajya Sabha from Punjab, I am not able to see any of their statements. If the Modi government brings a one-day session in the Parliament for the MSP Legal Guarantee Act, then we farmers will cast their votes in favour of MSP. All the opposition parties in the country have not yet clarified what they say”, Pandher said.

The farmer leader further alleged that the central government is trying all ways “to defame the movement”. “The agencies by the government are using well-planned methods. The kind of people that are being sent, and the way they cut off the media, means that the entire government is trying every possible way to defame the movement. We all were farmers and labourers in the country.

“This movement has become so big, that it is very important to identify the people who are being sent by the government to handle it and whatever happens, it should not happen again. This government is using force on the farmers and labourers of the country. This matter will have to be answered in the future”, he said.

He also urged to find a solution to the farmers’ demands sooner so that the ongoing ‘unfortunate situation’ can end. “What suggestions or proposals do you put forward? Will you still ask for a meeting or what do you want to say? Look, the doors are open for the government, we have said that even today we will appeal to the Prime Minister that he intervenes, and talks should continue making the MSP legal guarantee law and on other demands. If they are ready to make a legal guarantee law, then this can end. There can be a happy solution to this issue,” the farmer leader said.

“On Shambhu, the circumstances are absolutely under control except for a few incidents and our people, farmers and labourers, are in complete control. We are again saying that the government sends such people so that our movement gets defamed”, he added.

Pandher reiterated the farmers’ earlier demand that the Prime Minister intervene in the matter and find a solution for the same. “Now Haryana Force has filed an illegitimate FIR against our people. All the police personnel of Haryana are doing this, here there is a military force, they have entered the territory of Punjab, see here, Men of Haryana’s CID are roaming on the Shambu border, if this happens, then it is the use of force wrongfully.

“The movement is big and the farmers are not going to give in to their point of view and the farmers and farm laborers are not going to bow down if you file cases. We say that the Prime Minister should come forward and solve all the issues”, the farmer leader said.

Opposition leaders earlier criticized the Centre for the death of a youth at the Khanauri Border crossing in Sangrur district, Punjab, during the ongoing farmers’ protests. Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann said that he was saddened by the death of a young farmer on the Punjab-Haryana border and asserted that stringent action would be taken against those responsible for it.

Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party chief, Arvind Kejriwal asked if was it for this day that we fought for independence. Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa demanded that an FIR should be registered against the Home Minister of Haryana.

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah condemned the death of the youth protestor. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav called the centre to make decisions to eliminate the problems of farmers.

However, state BJP president Sunil Jakhar said in a post on X, on Tuesday that it was “most unfortunate” that the negotiations between the farmers and the central government had “not fructified”. The fourth round of talks between the farmer union leaders and central government ministers ended on Monday with the leaders rejecting the government’s offers. (ANI)