A 'jattha' of 101 farmers will begin their foot march to Delhi on Sunday to press for various demands, including a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP). Security has been tightened near the Shambhu border ahead of the march with police putting up barricades and installing nails.
The farmers decided to resume the march on Sunday after a clash erupted between farmers and Haryana Police at the Shambhu Border on Friday. A few farmers were injured after tear gas shells were fired by security personnel.
Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said the group will march peacefully and ensure no laws are violated. "Our hunger strike has now entered its 12th day, and we have reached the 300th day of protests led by Kisan Mazdoor Morcha and Samyukta Kisan Morcha. Despite our peaceful protests, the central government remains unmoved," said Pandher.
Pandher also flayed the Centre for "its adamant stance", adding that they would oppose the entry of BJP leaders into Punjab. "We will oppose the entry of BJP leaders in Punjab. We hear that Saini (Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini) and Gadkari (Union Minister Nitin Gadkari) are going to Amritsar. We call out the farmers of Punjab to oppose their entry into the state," he added,
Pandher added they had not received any message from the Centre for talks to address their issues.
Meanwhile, the security has been tightened with Haryana Police urging its Punjab counterpart to ensure media personnel are stopped at a "safe distance" from the protest site for their safety.
Their demands include a farm debt waiver, pension for farmers and farm labourers, no hike in electricity tariff, withdrawal of police cases (against farmers), and "justice" for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence. Reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013 and compensation to the families of farmers who died during the previous agitation in 2020-21 are also part of their demands.