Farmers announce rail roko after march thwarted again

 Protesting farmers on Saturday 14 Dec suspended their foot march to Delhi for the day after at least 17 sustained injuries in tear gas shelling by Haryana security personnel at the Shambhu border, with farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher announcing a “tractor march” in states outside Punjab on December 16, and a “rail roko” in Punjab on December 18.

The announcement came after a “jatha” of 101 farmers had to suspend their foot march to Delhi from the Shambhu border on Saturday after 17 sustained injuries in tear gas shelling by Haryana security personnel, who foiled the agitators’ third attempt in less than 10 days to cross the Punjab-Haryana border. Ahead of the resumption of their march, the Haryana government had on Saturday suspended mobile internet and bulk SMS services in 12 villages in Ambala till December 17 “to prevent any disturbance of peace and public order”.

Pandher said 17 farmers were injured in the action by the Haryana security personnel. “The two forums (of farmers’ unions) have decided to call back our ‘jatha’ (group),” he told reporters. “How are 101 farmers a danger to the law and order and peace of the country? You are debating the Constitution (in Parliament). Which Constitution allows the use of force against farmers?” he asked, and rued that no discussion is taking place on the issue of farmers in Parliament.

Ambala deputy commissioner Parth Gupta and superintendent of police S S Bhoria said police initially tried to persuade the farmers to stop, but when the impasse continued Haryana security personnel fired teargas shells and used water cannons to disperse them. SP Bhoria said if farmers want to go to Delhi for any dharna, they should apply for permission under the law, and if that is granted, “we will ourselves help you reach there”. “If you want to hold a protest. It is your right. Hold a protest peacefully, it is your right. Nobody is stopping you,” he said and asked them to seek permission from Delhi Police. Deputy superintendent of police (Ambala Cantt), Rajat Gulia, refuted the allegations of chemicals being mixed in water and said “plain water was used”.

Farmers under the banner of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have been pressing for various demands, including a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP). They have also demanded that the Centre initiate talks with them to address their issues...

Besides a legal guarantee on MSP for crops, the farmers are demanding a debt waiver, pension for farmers and farm labourers, no hike in the electricity tariff, withdrawal of police cases and “justice” for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

The Supreme Court had constituted a committee headed by former Punjab and Haryana high court judge Justice Nawab Singh to amicably resolve the grievances of protesting farmers at the Shambhu border.