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Journalism of Courage
Thousands of farmers from Punjab gathered at the Dussehra Ground in Chandigarh on Wednesday under the banner of Samyukta Kisan Morcha, pressing the government to accept demands including a legal guarantee for minimum support price based on the Swaminathan Commission formula and withdrawal of Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2025.
They also demanded a hike in compensation for damage to crops and houses, and loss of lives and livestock during heavy floods in the state in August-September. The protesting farmers converged to mark five years of their agitation against the now-repealed farm laws.
The city managed the gathering without major traffic disruption or any law-and-order issue. This was thanks to a day of meticulous planning — marked by multiple meetings with farmer union leaders, a full-scale police rehearsal, and strategic shifting of the rally venue.
Farmers from multiple Punjab districts started arriving at the venue from 9 am in tractor-trailers, buses and cars, filling it by noon. The SKM leaders raised demands for a legal MSP guarantee, crop insurance, relief packages and recognition for families of farmers who died during past agitations. The event ended around 3 pm, with the union seeking responses from the Centre and state.
While the SKM estimated the crowd at 25,000 people, the police put the figure at 10,000.
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