Farmer leaders on Friday temporarily called off their ‘Dilli Chalo’ march following a tense standoff at the Shambu border between Punjab and Haryana, where police used tear gas to disperse protesters. Several farmers were reportedly injured in the clashes, escalating tensions in the ongoing agitation.
Sarwan Singh Pandher, a prominent farmer leader, announced the decision to recall a group of 101 farmers, known as the ‘Jatha,’ after six participants sustained injuries during the police action. “We have recalled the ‘Jatha,’ not the march to Delhi. The police are not allowing us to proceed, and several farmer leaders have been injured. We will convene a meeting to decide our future strategy,” Pandher said.
The protest, led by the Bhartiya Kisan Parishad (BKP) and supported by other farmer groups, seeks to press for various demands, including compensation and a legal guarantee for the Minimum Support Price (MSP). Farmers had planned to march towards Delhi on Friday to intensify their agitation.
At the Shambu border, Haryana Police deployed a heavy security presence, using tear gas shells to block the farmers’ advance. Drone footage showed extensive barricades set up to prevent entry into Haryana. A senior police officer at the site said, “The farmers do not have permission to enter Haryana. Section 163 of the Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) has been imposed by the Ambala administration.”
In response, Pandher emphasized the farmers’ willingness to engage in peaceful negotiations. “We should be allowed to march towards Delhi peacefully, or the authorities should engage with us regarding our demands. The doors for talks are open on our side. If the government wants to negotiate, they should show us a letter from the central government or the Chief Minister’s office in Haryana or Punjab,” he said.
Adding to the unrest, the Haryana government ordered an internet shutdown in ten villages of Ambala from December 6 to 9, citing the need to prevent the spread of misinformation. The affected villages include Dangdehri, Lohgarh, Manakpur, and Saddopur. While essential services like banking and mobile recharges remain operational, the move has drawn criticism from farmers, who see it as an attempt to stifle their movement.
Meanwhile, Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Bhagirath Choudhary extended an olive branch to the protesting farmers, inviting them for talks. “The doors are open for dialogue. I am also their brother. If they want us to come to them, we are ready,” he said.
(Inputs from ANI)