4 min readLudhianaDec 7, 2024 08:52 AM IST
First published on: Dec 6, 2024 at 12:31 PM IST
Protesting farmers on Friday suspended for the day their foot march to Delhi to press for various demands, including a legal guarantee for MSP, after 15 farmers suffered injuries due to tear gas shells at the Punjab-Haryana Shambhu border.
Around 17 farmers were admitted to hospitals nearby while the rest got treated by rescue teams of Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM).
Suspending the march around 3.30 pm on Friday, KMM coordinator Sarwan Singh Pandher said that they will continue their march at 12 noon on Sunday. “We did not anticipate this ruthless response from the Haryana government. As our farmers were getting injured one after another, we decided to suspend the march for the day. We need to take care of our injured farmers and will send the next jatha of 101 farmers on Sunday. Over 50 such jathas are ready as of now, and more and more farmers are coming forward, so the government shouldn’t underestimate us at all,” Pandher said.
Earlier in the day, a ‘jatha’ of 101 farmers, under the banner of KMM and Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM, non-political), began to march towards Delhi from their protest site at the Shambhu border but around 1pm but was stopped a few metres away by multilayered barricading erected by Haryana security personnel.
At the Shambhu border, the farmers removed the first layer of barricades and even the tent-like structures erected by the Haryana Police.
As the group reached the mesh wire and cement barricades, security personnel lobbed multiple tear gas shells to disperse the protesting farmers and force them to retreat to their protest site.
Covering their eyes and mouths, several protesting farmers rushed to cover the tear gas shells with wet jute bags to counter the smoke. Many of them were seen uprooting iron nails and barbed wire installed on the road to deter their march. Chanting ‘Satnam Waheguru’ and holding their union flags, several farmers of the ‘jatha’ crossed the initial layer of barricades easily but could not proceed further.
The Haryana Police first played Gurbani on loudspeakers and made announcements, asking farmers to return saying they did not have permission to stage a protest in Delhi. When the farmers refused, the security forces allegedly used pepper spray, followed by tear gas shelling. Pepper spray followed by shelling started at 1.30 and it continued till 3.30 after regular intervals. At 3.33 pm, we called our Marjeevda Jatha back for their safety, said a KKM leader Gurpreet Singh Sangha.
Pandher added that it’s unfortunate that they are not allowing us to walk beyond this highway. “Are we not citizens of this country? The Haryana government and the Centre had said that we can walk on foot and no tractors will be allowed. But now they stand exposed. We will talk among ourselves on Saturday and take the next call,” he said, adding that shells were being thrown from two locations.
Meanwhile, Surjeet Singh Phul, president of BKU Krantikari, and Harpreet Singh, a 28-year-old farmer, are among those injured and have been taken to a hospital, said Guramneet Singh Mangat of KMM. Gurdaspur-based farmer Harpreet, who is a part of BKU Behramke, has been referred to Rajindra Medical College and Hospital, Patiala. Another farmer Surjit Singh Phul suffered tear gas shell injury near his chest. Phul and six others have been admitted to Rajpura civil hospital.
Tejveer Singh, Bhartiya Kisaan Union Shaheed Bhagat Singh (Haryana) spokesperson, said that the jathas have been named “marjeevras” (someone willing to die for a cause) and they decided to march on Friday as it is the martyrdom day of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth guru of Sikhs. “Friday’s jatha’ included 20 farmers from BKU Krantikari, BKU Behramke, BKU Azad, BKU Shaheed Bhagat Singh (Haryana), BKU Doaba etc while 81 farmers were from the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC) formed by Pandher,” he said, adding that farmers will do everything for the struggle.
Kuljinder Singh, a 53-year-old marginal farmer from Behramke village in Moga who was part of Friday’s jatha, is a fourth-generation farmer. “I have 4 acres and I have transferred it in my son’s name. I will keep marching ahead with my stick and essential supplies kit until I reach Delhi,” he said.
Echoing similar centiments, 70-year-old Gurdev Singh Gajjumajra from a village in Patiala said that there is no looking back for them.
Few of the members of Marjeevda Jatha on the stage of Shambhu border on Friday morning. (Express Photo) 
Share
