Delhi Chalo: Several farmers tried to enter Delhi by breaking barricades at Punjab-Haryana Shambhu border on Tuesday. Police have used tear gas to disperse the protesters. Meanwhile, several protesters were also detained by the cops.
Delhi Chalo: A chaotic scene erupted at the Punjab-Haryana Shambhu border after farmers attempted to enter Delhi on Tuesday by removing the barricades. Following this, the Haryana police fired rounds of tear gas to disperse the protestors. Several farmers were detained, and their vehicles were seized as they forcefully tried to enter the border during the ‘Dilli Chalo’ march amid heavy security. Notably, a little more than two years after farmers called off their protest at the doorstep of the capital city, Kisans are once again on the road to the national capital.
#WATCH | Police fire tear gas to disperse protesting farmers at Punjab-Haryana Shambhu border. pic.twitter.com/LNpKPqdTR4
— ANI (@ANI) February 13, 2024
Several farmers detained at Shambhu border
VIDEO | Farmers’ Delhi Chalo march: Several farmers detained at Shambhu border. pic.twitter.com/cXMYf9zFr8
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 13, 2024
Delhi Chalo: Here Are Famers’ Demands And Centre’s Move On Them
Other key points of the demands revolved around the repeal of the Electricity Act 2020, the withdrawal of cases against farmers’ movement protestors, and compensation for farmers killed in Lakhimpur Kheri among others. After negotiations continued post-midnight and an agreement was reached on these issues, the farmers maintained their steadfast resolve, emphasizing that the promises made by the government two years ago have not been fulfilled.
The meeting revealed the Centre’s willingness to withdraw cases against farmers that were lodged during the massive agitation in 2020-21. However, the protesters stick to the legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP), underscoring its importance as a cornerstone of their demands.
The leaders of the protesters, like Samyukta Kisan Morcha’s (Non-Political) Jagjit Singh Dallewal and Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee’s Sarwan Singh Pandher, expressed scepticism in regard to the Centre’s commitment to fulfilling the major demands.
The Central Government proposes the formation of a committee to deliberate on legal guarantees for Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations implementation, MSP, and debt waivers. However, the protesting side remains unconvinced with the proposal.
The farmer leaders’ demand encompasses a spectrum of issues, that involve withdrawal from the World Trade Organisation, reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act 2013, and compensation for farmers’ families who died during the previous protests.
As the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march gathers momentum, security measures at the Singhu, Ghazipur, and Tikri borders have been heightened. The Delhi police have enforced stringent measures, which include installing nails along with barricades and utilizing cranes and earthmovers to block the roads. These efforts are aimed at preventing the entry of protesting vehicles into the city.
Delhi Chalo: Farmers’ Demands
1. A law should be enacted for the minimum support price.
2. Implement the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission.
3. Farmers are also demanding the waiver of agricultural loans.
4. Compensation should be provided to the families of farmers in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident.
5. Farmers should be exempted from pollution laws.
6. Increase allowances to reduce import duties on agricultural commodities, dairy products, fruits, vegetables, and meat.
7. Implement a pension scheme for farmers over 58 years, providing them with a monthly pension of Rs 10,000.
8. Improve the quality of seeds for all crops, including cotton, by amending the Pesticides, Seeds, and Fertilizers Act.
9. Implement the Land Acquisition Act of 2013 in the same manner. Cancel the directions given by the Central Government to the State Governments regarding this.
10. The government should pay the self-insurance premium for improvements to the Prime Minister’s Crop Insurance Scheme, make all crops part of the scheme, and assess losses by considering one acre of land as one unit.
