Police lob teargas shells as farmers break Haryana barricades, pelt stones

The farmers' protest march comes months ahead of the general elections and just over two years after the 2021 protest against the three farm laws,

New Delhi: Farmers from Punjab faced a barrage of teargas shells at Haryana border points as they commenced their ‘Delhi Chalo’ march to press for their demands on Tuesday, while police in Delhi remained on high alert at the heavily barricaded entry points into the national capital.

The march comes months ahead of the general elections and just over two years after the 2021 protest against the three farm laws, which the Modi government repealed as tenacious farmers squatted near Delhi borders and kept it on the boil for more than a year. 

Unlike the previous protest, the current ‘Delhi Chalo’ agitation is being spearheaded by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (non-political), a breakaway faction of the umbrella body, and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha and is devoid of leaders who became famous in 2021, such as Rakesh Tikait. 

The Shambhu border in Ambala, Haryana, was one of the first places to see a stand-off. Some farmers, who had set off from Punjab on tractors and other vehicles, ran into barricades at the border.

When a group of youths, who were part of the protest, tried to break the barricades, cops lobbed teargas.

Protesters scampered to escape the acrid smoke; a few farmers were detained. A similar situation prevailed at an
other border point in Jind district.

Farmer leaders called for a temporary ceasefire for Tuesday evening and postponed further discussions until Wednesday morning.

Addressing the media, they expressed concern over the well-being of their members. “Around 60 of our men have sustained injuries. The government is provoking us by
attacking us with teargas shells and rubber bullets,” they said.

Separately, the SKM has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding Minimum Support Price for crops, slamming action on the farmers’ ‘Dilli Chalo’ march and accused the government of trying to “project” division among farmer bodies.

It urged all like-minded farmer organisations to unite and take part in the February 16 Gramin Bharat Bandh called by the central trade unions.

“Your government and that of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh led by the BJP have resorted to repressive measures on peaceful protests of farmers and unleashed lathi-charge, rubber bullets and teargas shells, injuring many and inflict
an atmosphere of terror on common farmers,” the group said. 

Union Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda said the government has to discuss with all stakeholders on the demand for bringing a law on MSP and asked farmer unions to join the discussion with the government. 

Though Munda and Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Piyush Goyal met farmer leaders on Monday night, it ended in a stalemate. 

Unlike last time, when the main demand was to repeal the farm laws and which the government accepted, this time the farmers are demanding a host of measures which they say are required for the financial viability of farming.

The demands include MSP for all crops based on the Swaminathan formula, legal guarantee of procurement, debt waiver, no hike in electricity tariff and no smart meters.

The 2021 protest saw a huge mobilisation of lakhs of farmers, violence and massive economic loss to businesses and residents living in and around Delhi as well as disruption in transport of goods. This time, the mobilisation is lower as 25,000 farmers and 5,000 tractors are likely to be part of the march.