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Tensions escalate as farmers resume Delhi Chalo march
Tensions rise as Haryana Police deploys tear gas against Punjab farmers resuming Delhi Chalo march, demanding legal guarantee on MSP.
Farmer protest in 2021 / Unsplash
In a renewed surge of protests, farmers from Punjab faced tear gas shells from Haryana Police at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points as they attempted to move towards barricades hindering their march to Delhi. The farmers, resolute in their demand for a legal guarantee on minimum support price (MSP) for crops, decided to resume their protest after the fourth round of talks with the government failed to yield a resolution.
According to media reports, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) appealed for a peaceful dialogue, with Union Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda proposing renewed talks with the agitating farmers. Senior party leader Ravi Shankar Prasad stated that the Modi government has worked extensively for farmers, emphasizing the need for a peaceful resolution to the ongoing standoff.
As security was heightened in Delhi, particularly at Tikri, Singhu, and Ghazipur borders, the Delhi Police aimed to maintain strict vigilance to prevent any escalation of the situation.
The latest round of talks saw a proposal from a panel of three Union Ministers suggesting government agencies purchase pulses, maize, and cotton at MSP for five years, subject to agreements with farmers. However, farmer leaders rejected the proposal, asserting it was not in favor of their interests.
In a separate development, hundreds of farmers in Indore gathered to protest against the acquisition of agricultural land for development projects. The protesters, organized by the RSS-backed Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS), expressed dissatisfaction with the compensation offered for their fertile agricultural land.
Contrary to earlier reports of a farmer's death, the Haryana Police denied any such incident during the ongoing protest at the Punjab-Haryana boundary. Two policemen and one protester sustained injuries at the Data Singh-Khanori inter-State border, receiving medical treatment.
The Kisan Mazdoor Morcha coordinator, Sarwan Singh Pandher, clarified that no youth or farm laborers would proceed further in the protest, only farmer leaders. Emphasizing a peaceful approach, he reiterated the demand for a legal guarantee on MSP, stating that it could resolve the entire situation.
The ongoing farmers' protest received support from the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ugrahan) in Punjab, which urged the Centre to convene a special session of Parliament to enact a law guaranteeing MSP on crops. The demand for legislative assurance on MSP remains a central point in the farmers' agitation.
As Delhi witnessed traffic disruptions at the Gurugram border due to police barricades, the BJP continued its appeal for peaceful resolution, emphasizing the government's openness to discussions with the farmers. Union Minister Arjun Munda reiterated the government's willingness to address issues such as MSP, crop diversification, stubble burning, and FIR in the upcoming rounds of meetings.
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