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New Delhi: Farmers have become quite vocal about their various demands. There is anger among the farmers due to their demands not being met. Farmer organizations have called for ‘Delhi Chalo’ march to get their demands met. In view of the announcement by farmers organizations and farmers union, vigil has been increased on the Haryana-Punjab border.
Ahead of another protest by farmers, authorities are fortifying the national capital by barricading the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh and Delhi-Haryana borders and deploying over 5,000 security personnel. Several farmer unions, mostly from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab, have called for protests on February 13.
Strict vigil at borders. Along with the deployment of additional police, other steps have also been taken. Now the central government has also become active in this matter. Three Union Ministers are being sent to Chandigarh to talk to the farmers and consider their demands. These three Union Ministers will talk to the leaders of farmer organizations and consider their demands. Besides, farmers will also be persuaded to postpone the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march.
Farmers from neighbouring states including Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Punjab are expected to enter Delhi on February 13 following their proposed ‘Delhi Chalo March’, demanding a law guaranteeing a Minimum Support Price (MSP) for their produce.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Police on Sunday imposed section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code at the Uttar Pradesh borders to avoid any untoward incident and maintain law and order.
“Prohibit entering of Tractors, Trolleys, Buses, Trucks, commercial vehicles, personal vehicles, on horses etc, carrying protestors in Delhi from Uttar Pradesh. Order that the North East District Police shall make all efforts to prevent protestors from entering Delhi,” the order stated.
Farmers are demanding a law guaranteeing a minimum support price (MSP), one of the conditions they had set when they agreed to withdraw their agitation against the now-repealed farm laws in 2021.
Apart from that, they are also seeking implementation of the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations, pensions for farmers and farm labourers, farm debt waiver, withdrawal of police cases and “justice” for victims of the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.
3 UNION MINISTERS TO HOLD ANOTHER MEETING WITH FARMERS
Three Union ministers – Piyush Goyal, Arjun Munda and Nityanand Rai deployed by the Modi government to find a solution to end ongoing protests by the farmers over a host of demands, including guaranteed MSP will hold the second round of talks with protesting farmer union leaders on Monday.
The first meeting with the three Union ministers was held on February 8 in which a detailed discussion took place with the leaders of farmer organisations.
Meanwhile, the government intensified initiatives to stop farmers who in a large number marched for Delhi from mainly Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana calling their agitation – ‘Delhi Chalo’ march. Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher on Saturday said the Centre has invited them for a meeting to discuss their demands on February 12.
To press the Centre to accept several demands, The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have announced the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march by more than 200 farmers’ unions on February 13. This has been the second biggest protest by the farmers since they agreed to withdraw the agitation against the now-repealed farm laws in 2021.
