Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to refrain from suppressing the farmers who are demonstrating against the government’s stance on MSP. Emphasizing that farmers played a crucial role in electing Modi as the Prime Minister of India, he cautioned that the BJP-led Centre will not be forgiven by the nation. Pandher stressed that the government should avoid oppressing the farmers and instead, take steps to resolve the issue by introducing a law guaranteeing MSP for the farmers. He also highlighted the deployment of paramilitary personnel in Haryana villages to obstruct their protest. Pandher expressed concern over the government’s actions, stating that the country will not overlook such behavior. He called for the protection of the Constitution and urged for a peaceful passage to Delhi for the protesting farmers, asserting their right to do so. Pandher assured that the protest will continue to be conducted in a peaceful manner.
We have made every effort from our end. We have actively participated in the meetings, thoroughly discussing each point. Now, it is up to the central government to make a decision. We will continue to maintain peace throughout this process. It is imperative for the Prime Minister to step up and address our demands. The amount of ₹1.5-2 lakh crore is not an exorbitant sum. We should be granted permission to dismantle these barriers and proceed towards Delhi.
The Shambhu border currently hosts over 1200 tractors and approximately 14,000 farmers, as per the Central government’s estimates. Following last week’s encounter with teargas shells in Haryana, the farmers have arrived well-prepared to overcome barricades, equipped with bulldozers, JCB machines, and heavy machinery to dismantle the police cordon.
In a strategic move, the farmers have modified the bulldozers to shield machine operators from pellet guns employed by the police to suppress the protest. Additionally, they have brought gas masks to navigate through potential teargas attacks.
The police force has made thorough preparations for the situation at hand. In addition to deploying loaded trucks, buses, barricades, iron barbed wires, and nails, they have also utilized loaded shipping containers to impede the progress of the protesters. Furthermore, concrete has been extensively employed to reinforce the barricades.
Moreover, approximately 8,000 personnel have been stationed at the Tikri, Singhu, and Ghazipur borders in Delhi.
On Tuesday, the Punjab and Haryana high court strongly criticized the farmers who have set up camp at the Shambhu border with numerous tractors. The court stated that tractor trolleys are not permitted on highways according to the Motor Vehicle Act. The bench remarked that it is inappropriate to travel from Amritsar to Delhi on trolleys, emphasizing the importance of both rights and constitutional duties. Additionally, the Haryana Police has urged their counterparts in Punjab to seize bulldozers due to potential safety hazards.