Farmers Protest: Foot March Protestors Chant ‘Mar Jeevda Jatha’
Farmers Leaders Image Credit Bhawna Malik
Framers’ Protests Movement to Gain More Strength: Pandher
By Bhawna Malik
Chandigarh, December 8: “Farmers have been halted, not the movement; ‘Dilli Chalo’ will continue,” said Sarwan Singh Pandher, leader of the protesting farmers who had announced a march to the national capital for December 6.
Pandher is outraged by the ill treatment of the farmers meted out allegedly by the Haryana Police at the Shambhu border. The “Haryana police used not only tear gas but also pallet shells to disperse the farmers,” alleged Pandher.
Agitating farmers in the past had two more attempts to march to the national capital. They had tried to march to New Delhi on February 13 and 21 this year. The Dilli Chalo march of the farmers coincided with the martyrdom day of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadar, the ninth Sikh Guru.
“Out of the eight hospitalised farmers, two are critically injured. The farmer leader Surjit Singh Phool too is hospitalised. The youth farmer leader Harpreet Singh has a severe cut on his ear,” stated Pandher.
He asserted that the “march was stalled for a day but it will resume from Sunday. The march has been stopped for a day to take care of the injured as they had been peacefully holding protests,” added Pandher.
Section 163 of the Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) has been imposed in Haryana. The bulk SMS services and the internet services have also been shut down in 11 villages of Ambala till December 9 per media reports.
The Haryana Police reportedly have asked farmers to show them the permission letter from the Central government to go to Delhi and protest. “The farmers had written to the Centre but got no reply. The farmers’ delegation met Ambala’s Superintendent and informed him about this march. We had assured the police that the traffic would not be blocked and it would be a peaceful march,” said Pandher.
Farmers’ leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal is on a hunger strike since November 26. “How can the government be so insensitive towards our demands,” asked Pandher. The Delhi Police, however, denied receiving any request from Punjab’s farmers march to Delhi.
The earlier protests by farmers were with their tractors and trolleys. Now, groups of 101 farmers each are marching on foot towards Delhi. We had asked for the permission to protest at the Jantar Mantar or the Ram Lila Maidan. But we have got no reply,” added Pandher.
It is clear that the central government has no clear intention of fulfilling our demands, said Joginder Singh Ugraha, President Bharat Kisan Union, Ekta Ugraha, Punjab.
“Are we terrorists that such heavy police and para-military forces have been deployed. We are also the citizens of this country. It’s our right to go to Delhi and protest also,” said Urgraha.
The farmers besides MSP are demanding a debt waiver, pension for the farmers and farm labourers and no hike in electricity tariff. The BJP leaders have assured dialogue with agitating farmers.
“We are ready for the dialogue. Our protest is peaceful, why are the farmers being suffocated with tear shells. And for how long there would only be a dialogue with no results,” asked Ugraha.
The ‘Dilli Chalo’ march is accompanied with a slogan of ‘Mar Jeevda Jatha’. “The group of farmers will continue their peaceful march even if they are hit with tear gas shells, lathi charged. No one will back off till they are alive. Hence, the term Mar Jeevda,” added Pandher.
“Drones are being used. There is barricading of concrete, barbed wires. Why,” asked Ugraha and Pandher.
Pandher stated that “the farmers’ leaders have asked the government to get a written assurance from them regarding the peaceful protest and allow them to go to Delhi for the protest or the Centre must send its ministers for this dialogue”. If today we do not get any response, the jatha of 101 farmers will continue with Dilli Chalo” march, he added.
Join the WhatsApp Channel of The Raisina Hills
Follow on Google News https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMNK2vwsw39HWAw?hl=en-IN&gl=IN&ceid=IN%3Aen
About The Author
