In the fervent march from Chandigarh to Delhi, Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher asserts that the Haryana government is subjecting farmers to unwarranted scrutiny within the state. The borders shared by Punjab and Haryana now bear an uncanny resemblance to an international boundary, owing to the extensive barricading implemented by forces in anticipation of the impending protest’s arrival. Pandher further castigates the Manohar Lal Khattar administration for purportedly victimizing farmers in Haryana.
Addressing reporters in the Fatehgarh Sahib district prior to the farmers’ journey to Delhi, Pandher paints a picture of unity between Punjab and Haryana dissolving, likening the situation to an international border. The farmers’ demands encompass a legal assurance for Minimum Support Price (MSP), execution of the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations, provision of pensions for farmers and agricultural laborers, forgiveness of farm debts, withdrawal of police charges, and justice for the Lakhimpur Kheri violence victims, alongside the reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013.
Pandher contends that despite media accusations blaming farmers for obstructing roads, it is, in fact, the government that has obstructed thoroughfares. “We do not declare an intention to block roads. The government itself has obstructed roads over the past few days,” states Pandher, who serves as the general secretary of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee.
Asserting an almost militaristic presence, concrete barriers now stand at the Punjab and Haryana borders. Pandher employs a metaphorical flourish, remarking, “We sow the seeds of sustenance, yet they cultivate a harvest of impediments” in reference to the extensive measures taken by Haryana authorities to impede farmers from advancing towards the national capital. He alleges that numerous farmers showing allegiance to the cause have been apprehended in Madhya Pradesh.
In a scathing rebuke of the Haryana government, Pandher characterizes the state as akin to the “Kashmir valley.” He accuses the government of dispatching police personnel to every village to intimidate farmers and deploying water cannons as a show of force. Recounting a meeting with Union Ministers, Pandher reveals that in the absence of a conclusive outcome, the decision was made to proceed towards Delhi.
Farmers rejected the ministers’ overtures of forming a committee to address their demands, particularly seeking legal assurance for the minimum support price. A meeting held on Monday, featuring Union Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda and Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Piyush Goyal, failed to reach an accord on the presented farmer demands. Under the aegis of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, farmers intend to traverse from the Ambala-Shambhu, Khanauri-Jind, and Dabwali borders towards Delhi.