3 min readChandigarhFeb 23, 2024 09:22 AM IST
First published on: Feb 23, 2024 at 04:00 AM IST
The death of Shubhkaran Singh, a 22-year-old farmer from Bathinda’s Ballo village, cast a shadow over any chance of a resolution between protesting farmers and the Centre, as demands gathered pace to declare him a “martyr”.
Shubhkaran died of an injury to the back of his neck while protesting at Khanauri border on Wednesday, prompting farm leaders to suspend talks with the Centre.
His body has been lying at the hospital since Wednesday, with farm outfits not allowing the police to get an autopsy conducted. Bharti Kisan Union (Sidhupur) president Jagjit Singh Dallewal and Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee convener Sarvan Singh Pandher led the demand for the state government to declare Singh a “martyr”, and appealed to people to hoist black flags atop their homes, shops and vehicles as a mark of protest against his “murder”.
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), which had led the 2020-21 farm laws agitation on the Delhi border, also demanded that an FIR under murder charges be lodged against Haryana government officials and the state Home Minister.
Avik Saha, a member of SKM’s national coordination committee, sought a compensation of Rs 1 crore for Singh’s family, a judicial inquiry into his death, and for Haryana to bear the cost for tractors damaged during the agitation.
The protester who died at Khanauri border has been identified as Shubhkaran Singh.
A meeting conveyed by the SKM on Thursday was attended by more than 100 farm union leaders from across the country, including 37 from Punjab. A decision was made to declare a nationwide black day on February 23 in collaboration with the central trade unions, whose members will wear black badges to work.
Rakesh Tikait, leader of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), announced a tractor march on highways leading to Delhi on February 26, and a one-day event at the Ramlila ground in Delhi on March 14. “Let us see if the government stops us,” he said.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar association meanwhile decided to abstain from work on Friday to “condemn the tragic incident in which a young farmer tragically lost his life due to police excesses”.
The state government has assigned ADGP Intelligence Jaskaran Singh to hold meetings with the agitating farmers leaders. Gurdeep Singh Chahal, spokesperson of BKU (Sidhupur), said, “We are sticking to our stand. The meetings are on since 11 am. Had Sidhu Moosewala’s body not been cremated without getting justice for him, his parents would not have needed to run around. We have learnt from that. We will get our demands fulfilled.”
A Punjab government official said: “The state government’s view is sympathetic… His family will be given financial help. But a decision will not be taken under pressure. I can say there is a soft corner… That is why Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann addressed the state via video after the death.”
During the 2020 agitation and even later, the protesting farmers had taken over several toll plazas from time to time. (File) 
The protester who died at Khanauri border has been identified as Shubhkaran Singh.
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