Farmers' protest: Farmers break barricades at Shambhu border, cops fire tear gas

Tear gas was fired at the Shambhu border point between Punjab and Haryana on Tuesday when farmers were trying to push the barricades. Following this, the Haryana police fired rounds of tear gas to disperse the group. On Monday, over 200 farmer unions decided to move ahead with the march after a crucial meeting between farmer leaders and union ministers failed to reach a resolution.

Earlier, some farmers were detained and their vehicles were seized at the Shambhu border by Haryana police soon after the unions started their ‘Dilli Chalo’ march amid heavy security. Farmer leaders decided to proceed with their march towards Delhi after a second round of crucial meetings between the farmer union leaders and Union ministers Piyush Goyal and Arjun Munda ended on Monday evening without any resolution or agreement being reached.

Earlier, the Punjab Police permitted the protesting farmers to pass through the Rajpura bypass as they made their way towards Ambala in Haryana, en route to Delhi to advocate for their demands. Nevertheless, tensions intensified at the Punjab-Haryana Shambhu border when the police used tear gas to scatter the protesting farmers. On the Punjab side of the border, farmers were trying to bring their vehicles to the front to make another attempt to breach the barricades, when the police fired multiple rounds of tear gas shells.

The farmers' demands include — a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP), adoption of the Swaminathan Commission's suggestions, pensions for both farmers and farm labourers, forgiveness of farm debts, resolution of police cases, justice for the victims of the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act 2013, withdrawal from the World Trade Organization, compensation for families of farmers who perished during the previous protests, among others.

In 2020-2021, India saw a huge protest by farmers, forcing the BJP-led central govt to revoke three controversial farm laws. 

CPM leader Brinda Karat on Tuesday, speaking on the farmers' protest, including the Gramin Bharat Bandh on February 16, said: "This is just the beginning of the second phase of struggle because on the 16th of this month, farmers from across India are going to observe a 'Gramin Bandh'. The workers for their demands and in support of farmers are also, on the call of the Central Trade Unions, going on strike. This is a big struggle for labouring classes in India."

"Using teargas, and placing nails and barricades (at the borders), everything is being done to prevent the farmers' march. The (central) government wants to suppress farmers' voices. These are the same people from (central) who promised to double the income of farmers, crop rate, and MSP implementation," Akhilesh Yadav, Samajwadi Party chief, said.

Also read: Farmers Protest: Massive traffic snarls reported in Delhi-NCR; commuters run late for work