Discords flared at the Shambhu border as Indian farmers were injured during the Delhi Chalo March and faced tear gas shelling from Haryana Police on Friday. The march, organized by Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) and Samyukt Kisan Morcha (non-political) (SKM-NP), demanded a legal guarantee for minimum crop prices. The ‘jatha’ (convoy) of 101 farmers, who started their protest to Delhi, was interrupted by barricades meters away from the commencement point.
The demonstrators, still shouting “Satnam Waheguru, rushed the first line of defense. However, they suffered higher resistance at the downstream checkpoint in the form of iron mesh and barbed wire that fortified the barriers between arms flow. A couple of farmers removed iron nails from National Highway 44 and pushed down barricades which led to an escalation in tension. Several Indian farmers injured during the Delhi Chalo March received medical aid, prompting leaders to recall the ‘jatha’ temporarily.
Farmers injured during Delhi Chalo March, Police think it was right to act against them
Police cited Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) to stop the march, claiming the protesters lacked permission to proceed. Polygarms were surrounded by water cannons and high walls of interlocking iron bars studded with concrete barriers. One of the main farmer leaders, Sarwan Singh Pandher, objected to police discriminatory behavior by the government of Haryana. He stated that protesters were “peacefully walking” on the street and criticized the Government for suppressing their voices.
According to Pandher, the Indian farmers who sustained injuries during the Delhi Chalo March were “marjeevras”–adults whose lives were ready to be sacrificed in support of the movement. Farmers have been camped in the fields on the margins of Punjab and Haryana since February while having been denied entry into Delhi. Despite injuries and resistance, Pandher declared the day a “moral victory, emphasizing that the government’s actions highlighted the farmers’ resolve and strength.
The farmers continue to press for the legal minimum support price they were promised in 2021. Despite high pressure and no possibility of a solution, the Delhi Chalo March is their unflagging demand for action.
Also, see: Farmers begin Delhi Chalo March, traffic in Delhi and Nodia extremely jam