Farmers’ Protest Live: Unions to Resume March on December 8 if Centre Fails to Hold Talks

Farmers protesting at the Shambhu border between Punjab and Haryana have demanded a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) for crops, alongside other issues such as no hikes in electricity tariffs, debt waivers, pensions for farmers and laborers, and justice for victims of violence in Lakhimpur Kheri in 2021 and during the 2020-21 farmers’ protests.

A group of farmers from Punjab, led by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, marched on December 6, 2024, towards New Delhi, hoping to draw attention to their demands. Security at the Shambhu border has been tightened with additional forces deployed, and Section 163 of the BNS, prohibiting unlawful gatherings, has been enforced. If permission to cross the border is not granted, there could be confrontations, similar to earlier incidents on February 13 and 21, 2024.

The police claim that the farmers did not seek prior permission for the protest, while the farmers assert they had informed the authorities in advance.

• Delhi Police on Alert: Security forces have been stationed at the Singhu border, ready to handle any situation.
• Farmer Leader on Hunger Strike: Jagjit Singh Dallewal, a key leader of the protest, has been on a hunger strike at the Khanauri border for the past 10 days.
• Protests Escalating: This marks the third attempt in the past 10 months for the farmer unions to march to Delhi. The first two attempts in February 2024 led to clashes with police.
• Uttar Pradesh Farmers’ Protest Ends: Earlier this week, farmers from Uttar Pradesh, protesting government land acquisitions, ended their protest after assurances from the government.
• Haryana Unions Not Participating: Major farmer unions from Haryana have decided not to join the ‘Dilli Chalo’ agitation.

Highlights:

• Sarwan Singh Pandher’s Statement: A farmer leader, Pandher announced that 101 farmers would march towards Delhi on December 8 at 12 PM unless the government engages in talks by then. “We will wait for talks until tomorrow, but if the government does not engage, the march will resume,” he said.
• Congress Criticizes Centre: Congress MP Randeep Singh Surjewala criticized Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for evading questions about a legal MSP law in Parliament.
• PM Urged to Step In: Surjewala urged Prime Minister Modi to initiate talks immediately, as farmers continue to protest against the government’s unfulfilled promises regarding MSP legislation.
• Farmers Face Barriers and Violence: At the Shambhu border, police fired tear gas at farmers who attempted to cross barricades. Some farmers, including leaders, were injured in the confrontation.
• Government’s Response: Union Minister of State for Agriculture, Bhagirath Choudhary, stated that the government’s doors are open for dialogue with the farmers, encouraging them to initiate talks.
• Government Disburses ₹20,650 Crore: Amid the ongoing protests, the government announced it had disbursed ₹20,657 crore in the latest installment of the PM-KISAN scheme, benefitting over 9 crore farmers.
• Traffic Disruptions Expected: The Delhi NCR region may experience traffic jams as security measures are enforced along key routes. This comes after a similar disruption caused by protests earlier this week.