Farmers who were part of the ‘Dilli Chalo’ march were made to temporarily stop their protest on Friday afternoon as police fired tear gas shells to stop the advance of farmers towards the national capital. The march was to press for a charter of demands, including a legal guarantee for MSPs, pending for almost five years.
The clash occurred on National Highway 44 near Shambhu, along the Punjab-Haryana border, leaving eight injured, with two reported to be seriously wounded. Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher exclaimed frustration over the police response, saying, “We were quite disciplined and were holding the protest peacefully. We knew we wouldn’t be able to fight the might of the force used against us.”
Pandher lashed out at the government’s move and said PM Modi cannot justify the kind of treatment given to the farmers, who, he said, should not be treated as enemies when they contribute to the nation’s food security. He said all farmer organizations, including Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, would start marching again on Sunday, giving one day to the government to begin discussions.
A number of visuals from the site showed chaotic moments at the police barricades as smoke from fired tear gas billowed onto protesters. In a video, an elderly farmer was seen getting support from co-protesters, apparently overcome by the effects of the gas. Earlier, thousands of farmers amassed in front of metal barriers, waving flags and raising slogans.
Just ahead of the march, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan told Parliament that the government was committed to buying farmers’ produce at MSP. “I assure the House that all farmers’ produce will be purchased at Minimum Support Price,” Chouhan said, adding a jibe at the opposition Congress party for not accepting the MS Swaminathan Commission recommendations on MSP.
The police banned mobile internet services and bulk messaging in parts of Ambala district minutes before the march, citing security reasons. Earlier, the district authorities had issued orders prohibiting assembly of five or more persons and declared a holiday for all government and private schools.
The protest underlines the farmers’ long-standing demand for a legal guarantee for MSP, waiver on farm loans, and protection from increased electricity tariffs. Legal protection for MSP—designed to prevent devastating price falls in case of bumper harvests—has emerged as the most contentious issue since farmers came out into the streets in September 2020. MSPs do not have any legal backing in its present form, implying the government is not bound to procure a portion of a farmer’s crop at a minimum price.
The current wave of protests has also gained political momentum, with opposition parties rallying behind the farmers’ cause. Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar has questioned the government’s promises to farmers, asking what was being done to fulfill those commitments.
