New Delhi: Multilayered barricading greeted ‘jatha’ (group) of 101 farmers as it resumed the march to Delhi on Sunday afternoon from Shambhu protest site on Punjab-Haryana border.
The Haryana police were seen firing tear gas shells and using water cannons at regular intervals to disperse farmers from the barricading point. Pepper spray was also used on individual approaching the spot.
Some policemen were also seen showering flowers on the farmers.
The farmers too had equipped themselves to deal with the pushback. They wore protective eyewear and carried wet jute bags to cover the teargas shells to counter the smoke.
A Haryana police official deployed at the site of protest told ANI that those marching ahead did not match the list of 101 farmers who were granted permission for it. “We have a list of the names of 101 farmers, and they are not those people – they are not letting us identify them – they are moving ahead as a mob,” the official alleged.
The farmers were also asked to show the written permission for the march to Delhi.
“The police are asking for identity cards, but they should give a guarantee that they would allow us to go Delhi. They say that there is no permission to go to Delhi, then why we should give the identity cards. We will give identity cards if they allow us to go to Delhi,” a protesting farmer told PTI.
Refuting the allegation, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said they should have been informed about the decision to check the IDs before allowing them to march to Delhi. “We would have cooperated. The protest has been peaceful and will continue to be so…They are using more tear gas today, as the wind direction is towards us. We are ready for any kind of sacrifice…It’s the PM who has the solution for our problems, either he does it or let us march to Delhi,” he was quoted as saying.
He further stated that one farmer was admitted to PGI Chandigarh in a serious condition. “Another 8-9 farmers are injured, which is why we decided to withdraw the ‘jatha’. After the meeting on Monday, we will inform about the future course of action…,” he said.
Among those injured are Didar Singh from Ferozepur, Major Singh from Tarn Taran, and Karnail Singh. Karnail Singh (70) hails from Jhandeana village in Moga district.
Farmers under the banner of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have been camping at Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 after their march to Delhi was stopped by security forces.
Their demands include Minimum Support Price, 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.
