Thousands of farmers from Punjab have begun their ‘Dilli Chalo’ march today, heading towards Delhi to press their demands, triggering heightened security measures and the possibility of traffic disruptions at key border points. The march, led by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), a non-political farmers’ group, is set to cause major disruptions on the roads as farmers are rallying for a range of demands related to agricultural reforms and justice for past incidents involving farmers.
The protesters are marching from the Shambhu border in Punjab, aiming to reach Delhi, and security has been significantly ramped up along the route. Both Haryana and Punjab police forces have been deployed in large numbers, with special attention given to the Shambhu border on NH-44, which connects the two states. Police sources mentioned that they are closely monitoring the Singh border as well and are prepared to handle any eventualities that may arise during the protest.
In the Ambala district of Haryana, the district administration has imposed Section 163 of the BNSS Act, which restricts gatherings of more than five people, to prevent large crowds from assembling in sensitive areas near the border. Similar restrictions have also been enforced in Jind, where farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal has been on a fast-unto-death for the past 10 days, calling attention to the ongoing farmer protests.
The protesting farmers are seeking a range of demands, including a legal guarantee for the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops, a debt waiver for farmers, pensions for both farmers and farm labourers, and the reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act. Additionally, they are calling for justice for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence and compensation for families of farmers who lost their lives during the 2020-21 farmers’ protests. The farmers have also demanded that there should be no hike in electricity tariffs, which they argue will further burden the agricultural sector.
The march is expected to reach Parliament later today, with the farmers intending to present their demands directly to lawmakers. Around 100 farmers are taking part in the protest, which is set to begin around 1 PM. The farmers are determined to press for their demands, despite facing obstacles. The ongoing agitation follows a similar protest earlier this week by around 5,000 farmers from Uttar Pradesh, who were stopped at the Noida-Delhi border by the police after attempting to march to Parliament to seek compensation for land acquired by the government since 1997.
The Supreme Court recently commented on the farmers’ protests, urging organizers to ensure that the protests remain peaceful and do not cause inconvenience to the public. However, with barricades being erected and security tightened, the situation remains tense, and traffic is expected to be heavily impacted in the coming hours.
