Farmers' Protest: We Don't Want Confrontation, Ready For Talks, Say Farmer Union Leaders

NEW DELHI: Agitating farmer union leaders Jagjeet Singh Dallewal and Sarwan Singh Pandher on Wednesday said that they don't want any confrontation with the Centre and are ready for talks to resolve all the issues related to their demands, including a law guaranteeing minimum support price for their crops. "We don't want confrontation, we want dialogue. The meeting for tomorrow has been scheduled for 5 PM,'' the farmer leaders said while addressing a press conference this evening. "While we were in discussion, our Twitter handle was shut down by the government, stating that we are engaging in anti-national activity. This is incorrect,'' they added.

They went on to add, ''The central government is provoking us. The Centre does not want us to proceed with dialogue; instead, there is continuous SHELLING on us... Today, we responded to their provocation. The attitude of the Center is not right......and you speak for dialogue.''

#WATCH | "The meeting with Centre will be held at 5pm tomorrow," says Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee General Secretary Sarwan Singh Pandher at Rajpura bypass in Punjab. pic.twitter.com/54wpNxoBMu — ANI (@ANI) February 14, 2024

The protest this time has been called by Sanyukt Kisan Morcha and Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee led by farmer union leaders Jagjeet Singh Dallewal and Sarwan Singh Pandher.

Tear Gas Fired At Farmers At Punjab-Haryana Shambhu Border

Police lobbed multiple rounds of teargas shells to disperse farmers who were approaching the police barricade at the Punjab-Haryana Shambhu border to resume the 'Dilli Chalo' protest on Wednesday. To ensure law and order, Delhi police have already enforced Section 144, restricting entry of tractor trolleys and large assemblies.

Mobile internet services, bulk SMS and all dongle services will continue to remain suspended in seven districts of Haryana for another 48 hours till February 15 midnight in view of the 'Delli Chalo' call given by farmers' organisations.

The mobile services were earlier suspended on February 11 morning till February 13 at midnight. According to a notification issued by the Haryana administration, bulk SMS and all dongle services provided on mobile networks, except voice calls, will remain suspended in the jurisdiction of districts Ambala, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad and Sirsa.

Meanwhile, long traffic jams were seen on Wednesday at the Delhi-Ghaziabad border due to the farmers' protest and security checks put in place by the authorities. Rapid Action Force personnel, Police personnel and Riot Control Vehicles are deployed at the Singhu Border in Delhi in view of the farmers' protest.

The morning visuals showed intense security arrangements at the Shambhu border in Ambala, Haryana, as farmers who marched towards Delhi on Tuesday clashed with the police. The protesting farmers on Tuesday were seen attempting to break the multi-layered barricades using their tractors and hand weapons. 

The Haryana police, meanwhile, detained several protesting farmers. The police deployed concrete slabs, iron nails, barricades, barbed wires, and police and paramilitary personnel at Kurukshetra in Haryana in view of the 'Delhi Chalo' march by the farmers.

The farmers have put forth 12 demands before the central government for which they're marching to Delhi. The protest this time has been called by Sanyukt Kisan Morcha and Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee led by farmer union leaders Jagjeet Singh Dallewal and Sarwan Singh Pandher.

According to the protesting farmers, the centre promised them better crop prices, after which they ended the 2021 protest. They are demanding to enact a law guaranteeing a minimum support price (MSP) for all crops, as recommended by the Swaminathan Commission report.

They are also demanding a complete debt waiver and a scheme to provide pensions to farmers and farm labourers. The farmers have also urged to scrap the Electricity Amendment Bill 2020 and are demanding to reintroduce the Land Acquisition Act of 2013, ensuring consent from farmers and compensation at 4 times the collector rate.

Further, they are demanding to punish those involved in the Lakhimpur Kheri killings.An appeal to provide 200 days of employment per year and a daily wage of Rs 700 under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 (MGNREGA), linking it with farming, has also been made by the farmers. Also, they have demanded compensation to the families of farmers who died during the protests in 2021 and a job for any family member has been put in place.