National Desk, 21st February: Farmers are gearing up to resume their ‘Delhi Chalo’ protest march from the Punjab-Haryana border today, as talks with the Centre regarding minimum support price (MSP) guarantees have failed to produce any outcome.
The Haryana Police has asked their counterparts in Punjab to seize any equipment brought by the protesters to dismantle police barricades.
An estimated 14,000 farmers have congregated at the border, equipped with 1,200 tractor trolleys, 300 cars, and 10 mini-buses. The Delhi Police has increased vigilance, conducting drills to secure entry points as farmers, halted at the interstate border since February 13, prepare to advance towards the national capital.
Sarwan Singh Pandher, leader of Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, reiterated that the farmers’ protest would remain peaceful and urged the government to remove barricades to facilitate their movement to Delhi without obstruction.
According to government estimates cited by PTI, approximately 14,000 farmers have amassed at the Shambhu border between Punjab and Haryana.
In their journey to Delhi, they are utilizing 1,200 tractor trolleys, 300 cars, and 10 mini-buses. The Home Ministry has also noted that 4,500 protesters, accompanied by 500 tractors, have gathered at the Dhabi-Gujran border point. The Ministry of Home Affairs, in a missive to the Punjab government, expressed apprehension over the deteriorating law-and-order situation in the state.
The Ministry attributed this to troublemakers masquerading as farmers, who allegedly resorted to stone-throwing and brought heavy machinery, including bulldozers and earthmovers, to the Shambhu border.
The communication further stated that the machinery brought by the farmers has been ‘modified and armour-plated’ to dismantle police barricades. The Ministry expressed concern that these machines could be utilized by the protesters to damage the barricades, posing significant risks.