Farmers’ protest: 1 dead, ‘Dilli Chalo’ march on hold
Farmers’ protest: 1 dead, ‘Dilli Chalo’ march on hold
M.U.H
22/02/2024112
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), the farmers' body that is spearheading the farmers' protest at the Punjab-Haryana border, will hold its National Coordination Committee and the General Body meeting on Thursday to discuss the situation and take "decisive action to advance the struggle", news agency PTI reported.
On Wednesday, farmers suspended their 'Dilli Chalo' march for two days after they claimed a protester was killed and 12 police personnel were injured during clashes at Khanauri, one of the two points at Punjab-Haryana border, where the farmers are currently camping. However, the Haryana Police said that nobody was killed.
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The SKM condoled the death of the protester, Subhkaran Singh (21), during the clashes between police personnel and farmers at Khanauri and alleged that the Centre was "solely responsible for the present crisis and casualty". Subhkaran Singh hailed from Baloke village in Punjab's Bathinda district.
Punjab farmers at Khanauri and Shambhu resumed their agitation on Wednesday after a two-day lull following the failed fourth round of talks with a panel of three Union ministers on the legal guarantee of minimum support crops (MSP) for crops.
However, the police fired tear gas shells multiple times as the protesters tried to move towards the layers of barricades that had impeded their march to Delhi.
Union Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda on Wednesday called for a fifth round of talks with the farmers and advocated for peace amid the clashes between farmers and police at the Punjab-Haryana border.
"Several rounds of discussions have been held with farmer organisations over farmers' issue. We have told them we will find a solution through discussions because issues are resolved only through dialogues. We should find a solution together so that it is beneficial for everyone. I am hopeful that together we will find a solution," Munda told reporters.
Several protesting farmers were seen wearing gas masks and glasses to protect themselves from tear gas. Haryana Police used drones to keep a watch on the activities of the farmers on the other side of the barricades and drop tear gas shells.
The farmers claimed that Haryana Police personnel fired rubber bullets, besides tear gas shells at Khanauri and Shambhu border points. Meanwhile, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said they will decide the next course of action on Friday evening.
A Haryana Police spokesperson said around 12 police personnel were injured when they were attacked with lathis and stones thrown at them in Khanauri, located in Punjab's Sangrur district, close to the border with Haryana's Jind.
The protesters also poured chilli powder on stubble and set it on fire after surrounding the security personnel, the official said. Due to the smoke, the personnel deputed in the area faced difficulty in breathing and irritation in the eyes, the spokesperson said.
A farmer in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar tried to kill himself after he set himself ablaze due to a loan-related issue, an official said. The farmer, Brijpal, was rushed to a hospital and received minor burn injuries on his face.
Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) district president Yogesh Sharma said Brijpal tried to commit suicide because he was not getting any solution to his problem and was worried about getting a notice from the Punjab National Bank despite never getting a loan from that bank.
The incident came as farmers across the western Uttar Pradesh districts staged demonstrations and carried out marches in support of the agitation.
BKU leader Naresh Tikait had asked farmers to participate in a tractor march on February 26 and 27 to "condemn atrocities" against their counterparts from Haryana and Punjab.
In a statement, the SKM condemned the death of Shubkaran Singh due to "brutal police repression".
"This is a brutal assault on bread-earners from farmer families when they were protesting only for the implementation of the written promises made by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister and the executive that failed to implement the agreement with SKM signed on December 9, 2021 (the day when the first farmers' protest ended) are solely responsible for the present crisis and the casualty," it said in a statement.