Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) leader Sarwan Singh Pandher announced that a ‘Jathha’ of 101 farmers will make a fresh attempt to march to Delhi from the Shambhu border point of Haryana at noon on Saturday.
The farmers’ leader said that the protest against contentious agricultural laws has reached its 307th day today awaiting talks with the Centre and emphasized nationwide support for the movement from the people of the country.
In a pointed critique of the government’s approach to the farmers’ protest, Pandher accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan of remaining silent on the issue.
The leader also alleged that government agencies are working to undermine the protest, using tactics to discredit the movement and suggesting that even collective efforts from Punjab and Haryana would fail to make an impact.
Speaking to ANI, Sarwan Singh Pandher said, “The farmers’ protest has now entered its 307th day. By noon today, our third ‘Jattha of 101 farmers will depart for Delhi. The whole country is connected with us and supporting the protest, but our Prime Minister has remained silent about it and maintained a distance from the subject.”
“The Union Agriculture Minister has not been speaking about the protest either and the way BJP MPs are doing ‘bayanbazi’ is going to cause division in communities. The government agencies are trying their best to ensure that the ‘morcha’ does not win. They are trying to prove that even if all of Punjab and Haryana come together, even then the morcha cannot win,” Pandher said.
Adding further, he said, “I urge everyone to support the protest because I believe no matter how powerful the government is, it can never be bigger than the people of the country. The country is not determined by any party but by the people of the country. We aim to demonstrate how a collective effort by ordinary citizens can be influential enough to bring about changes in laws and governance.”
The farmers’ agitation has witnessed widespread participation from states like Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. The protest sites near Delhi’s borders have become epicentres of resistance, with thousands of farmers camped in makeshift arrangements despite harsh weather conditions.
As the protest continues to gain momentum, the farmers are preparing for intensified demonstrations to pressure the government into addressing their demands.
Meanwhile, drone visuals from the Haryana-Punjab Shambhu Border show farmers blocking the roads with vehicles.
Earlier on Friday, Pandher appealed to the residents of Punjab and Haryana to reach the Khanauri and Shambhu border in large numbers as the farmers’ protest completed ten months.
The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Union government and Punjab to ensure necessary medical aid is provided to farmer Jagjit Singh Dallewal, the convener of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political), who has been on a fast-unto-death at the Khanouri border.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan asked authorities to have a direct dialogue with Dallewal saying “his life is more precious than any agitation.”
A person who is providing them (farmers) leadership and statesmanship must be protected, please take the steps immediately, the bench told Centre and Punjab.
Dallewal has been on fast-unto-death since November 26 as part of the protests against the Central government for minimum support prices for crops.
Notably, farmers are asking for a charter of 12 demands, including MSP for crops to be met by the state and Union governments.
Meanwhile, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has taken on the Congress and the opposition parties on the issue of minimum support price (MSP) for crops.
Responding to the Congress’ claim of support to farmers and its promise to give MSP to farmers, Saini said that the Congress governments in Himachal and Telangana had failed to buy crops at MSP.
“In the last 10 years, we have bought crops on MSP. The Congress government in Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, and Telangana cannot say that they will buy crops on 100 per cent MSP. People have understood their reality. In a month, AAP will also start talking about the EVMs. People have rejected them,” Saini said.