Farmers Protest Delhi Live Updates: ‘Jatha’ of 101 farmers to march towards Delhi on Sunday; Modi govt not in mood to talk, says Pandher

Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher announced that a 'jatha' of 101 farmers will resume their march to Delhi on December 8, after the Centre failed to initiate talks on Saturday.

Farmers suspended their march on Friday after violent clashes with security forces at the Punjab-Haryana border. Addressing the media at Shambhu on the Punjab-Haryana border on Saturday, Pandher said 16 farmers suffered injuries and one of them lost hearing ability because of the teargas shelling by Haryana security personnel.

"BJP government at the Centre has been 'exposed'," he added.

"What did they do yesterday? People are angry with this action. People are asking the BJP since the farmers were not taking tractor-trolleys along with them then why they were not allowed to move ahead," Pandher posed.

Demands: Farmers are pressing for:

📌Legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops.

📌Farm debt waiver and pension for farmers and farm laborers.

📌No hike in electricity tariff and withdrawal of police cases against farmers.

📌Justice for victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

📌Reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, and compensation for families of farmers who died during the 2020-21 agitation.

A similar march in February witnessed over 450 injuries and the death of a 22-year-old protester, as farmers also demanded legal backing for MSP.

(With inputs from PTI)

Haryana police has appealed to media persons to maintain proper distance from the crowd at Shambhu border or any place where law and order related duty is going on. DGP Punjab was also requested to stop journalists at least 1 km away from the border in Punjab.

ियाणापुलिस की मीडियाकर्मियों से अपील। शंभू बॉर्डर अथवा किसी भी अन्य स्थान पर जहां क़ानून व्यवस्था सम्बंधित ड्यूटी चल रही हो वहाँ भीड़ से उचित दूरी बनाकर रखें । डीजीपी पंजाब से भी अनुरोध की वे पंजाब की सीमा में पत्रकारों को बॉर्डर से कम से कम 1 किलोमीटर की दूरी पर रोके ।… pic.twitter.com/QG7Xnkjt8r

— Haryana Police (@police_haryana) December 7, 2024

Rashtriya Janata Dal's Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha on Saturday took a jibe at Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for his parliament address on farmers, saying, "There is a lot of difference between their word and reality" Speaking with ANI, Jha criticised the authorities for the use of tear gas on the farmers protesting at the Sambu border with the demands for compensation and a legal guarantee for the Minimum Support Price (MSP).

"Yesterday also the Union Agriculture Minister said very good things (about farmers) in Parliament in response to my question. There is a lot of difference between their words and reality. Sometimes tear gas, sometimes lathi charge is done. They (farmers) do not deserve this," Jha said.

Jha urged the central government to talk to farmers and accept their demands.

(ANI)

Protest overview:

A group of 101 farmers, also called as a ‘jatha’ (group) embarked on a foot march to Delhi at 1 pm on Friday from their protest site at the Shambhu border on the Punjab and Haryana border.

The Haryana security forces have fired tear shell gas and rubber bullets, forcing them to retreat. Mobile internet and bulk SMS services have also been suspended in 11 villages of Ambala district till next week.

The ban was enforced in Dangdehri, Lohgarh, Manakpur, Dadiyana, Bari Ghel, Lhars, Kalu Majra, Devi Nagar, Saddopur, Sultanpur, and Kakru villages of Ambala at Friday noon.

Protesting farmers suspended 'Delhi Chalo' march for the day after several farmers suffered injuries due to teargas shells.

“The ‘jatha’ of 101 farmers will march towards Delhi on December 8 at 12 noon. Tomorrow has been reserved for talks with the central government. They said they are ready for talks, so we will wait. We don’t want a confrontation with the government. We will remain peaceful,” said farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher in a press conference at Shambhu border.

The Congress also criticised the Centre and the ruling BJP for not holding talks with farmers or accepting their demands.

Congress general secretary Randeep Surjewala said at a press conference that this government is “anti-farmer” as it was not listening to the voice of farmers and said farmers should be allowed to come to Delhi and the government should speak with them and address their concerns and grievances.

Farmer's demands:

1. The farmers are marching to force the Centre for a legal guarantee for minimum support price for crops.

2. Besides MSP, the farmers are also demanding 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.

3. Reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, and compensation to the families of farmers who died during the previous agitation in 2020-21 are also part of their demands.

Congress on Friday demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi invite farmers for talks and accept their demand to provide a legal backing to minimum support price (MSP) of agriculture produce and enact a law to this effect in the current Winter Session of Parliament.

Congress general secretary Randeep Surjewala said at a press conference that this government is "anti-farmer" as it was not listening to the voice of farmers and said farmers should be allowed to come to Delhi and the government should speak with them and address their concerns and grievances.

"We demand the prime minister that he invite farmers for talks and pass a law for giving legal backing to MSP after agreeing to their demands. A Bill in this regard should be brought in this Winter Session of Parliament and passed," Surjewala said.

Taking a swipe at the prime minister, he said, "The PM has time to see movies but not meet farmers." The Congress leader said instead of agreeing to the farmers' demands after talking to them, this government is laying nails and building walls on the path of farmers to prevent them from coming to Delhi.

Surjewala accused the government of speaking a lie in Parliament by claiming that all produce of farmers has been purchased at an MSP, saying this is far from truth.

"Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also evaded a direct question in Parliament on whether it will accord legal status to MSP," he said, adding, "They are befooling the country by speaking lies."

(PTI)

BKU Krantikari president Surjeet Singh Phul has been admitted to the Civil Hospital in Rajpura after being hit by a tear gas shell close to his chest. Six more farmers have suffered injuries from tear gas shells and have also been admitted.

The Dilli Chalo paidal yatra started at 1 pm, and the Haryana security forces began firing tear gas around 1:30 pm. The attacks continued at regular intervals at 3:30 pm, and 3:33 pm, until farmers decided to call back their 'Marjeevda Jatha' for the day..

"No Jatha will go tomorrow. We need to take care of our injured farmers and will send the next Jatha of 101 farmers on Sunday at 12 noon. We currently have over 50 such Jathas ready. In other words, 101 farmers in each Marjeevda Jatha can march for 50 consecutive days, and more volunteers are coming forward. The government shouldn't underestimate us," said Sarwan Singh Pandher, coordinator of the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, in an interview with The Indian Express.

"We had not expected this ruthless response from the security forces for just 101 farmers. Due to the increasing number of injuries, we had to suspend the yatra for the day. It's unfortunate that we are not being allowed to walk on this highway. Are we not citizens of this country?," he added.

"I think the Prime Minister is not even listening to the Vice President. If the round of talks had started, a happy solution to this movement could have been found... The government is not ready for talks... For us the ruling party and the opposition are the same, they all do politics," says farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher. (ANI)

Protesting farmers have called for the suspension of the march for the day after some of their members suffered injuries due to teargas shells fired by Haryana security forces. December 7 has been set for talks with the central government, and the march is scheduled to resume at 12 noon on December 8.

"The 'jatha' of 101 farmers will march towards Delhi on December 8 at 12 noon. Tomorrow has been reserved for talks with the central government. They said they are ready for talks, so we will wait. We don't want a confrontation with the government. We will remain peaceful," said farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher in a press conference at Shambhu border.

(With ANI inputs)

At a press conference on Shambhu border, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said, "Why is the government behaving with us like an enemy country? We are citizens of this country and have made a lot of sacrifices for the nation."

VIDEO | Farmers' 'Delhi Chalo' march: "Why is the government behaving with us like an enemy country? We are citizens of this country and have made a lot of sacrifices for the nation," says farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher at a press conference on Shambhu border.

(Full video… pic.twitter.com/X6YnDdcBK9

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 6, 2024

(PTI)

“Both the forums have called back today’s ‘jatha’. Many have been injured. They have faced the (tear) gas. A lot of damage has been done,” says farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher as farmers suspend ‘Delhi Chalo' march for today.

Visuals from Shambhu border:

VIDEO | “Both the forums have called back today’s ‘jatha’. Many have been injured. They have faced the (tear) gas. A lot of damage has been done,” says farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher as farmers suspend ‘Delhi Chalo' march for today. Visuals from Shambhu Border.… pic.twitter.com/T4HyogZ0Te

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 6, 2024

(PTI)

Extending support, MoS for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Bhagirath Choudhary said, "Doors are open for the farmers to come and have dialogue regarding their issues. I am also their brother and if they want to come, doors are open, if they want us to go there we will go in between them to have dialogue."

(PTI)

Answering a question during Question Hour in the Rajya Sabha, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Friday, 'The Narendra Modi government will purchase all farm produce at the minimum support price.'

The assertion came on a day when farmers embarked on a foot march to Delhi with a charter of demands, including legal backing for MSP.

"I want to assure the House, through you, that all produce of farmers will be purchased at the minimum support price. This is the Modi government, and the guarantee to fulfill Modi's guarantee,' Chouhan told the House."

(With inputs from PTI)