Farmers to Resume ‘Delhi Chalo’ March Today, Demand MSP Guarantee and Loan Waivers

On Friday, a group of farmers began marching towards Delhi from the Shambhu border but was halted by barricades just a few meters away. After temporarily suspending their “Dilli Chalo” protest, the farmers plan to resume their march today to enter the national capital. They are pressing for a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP) and loan waivers, among other demands.

On December 6, a group of 101 farmers started their march from the Shambhu border, only to be stopped by multilayered barricades set up by Haryana security forces. The protest was called off after several farmers were reportedly injured due to tear gas shelling by the police.

Farmer leaders, however, have declared that the march will resume on December 8 if the Centre does not initiate talks by then. The farmers are seeking a legal guarantee for MSP, farm loan waivers, pensions for farmers and farm laborers, no increase in electricity tariffs, withdrawal of police cases against farmers, and justice for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

The protest, organized by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, resumed after the initial suspension. The farmers have been protesting at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders between Punjab and Haryana since February 13, when security forces stopped their previous march to Delhi.

Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher stated that if the government fails to hold talks by December 8, the 101 farmers will continue their march towards Delhi at 12 noon.

In response to the protest, the Haryana government suspended mobile internet and bulk SMS services in 11 villages of Ambala district until December 9, including Dangdehri, Lohgarh, Manakpur, Dadiyana, Bari Ghel, Lhars, Kalu Majra, Devi Nagar, Saddopur, Sultanpur, and Kakru.