Enhanced Security Measures as Farmers Prepare to March to Delhi Today

New Delhi, Dec 6 (NationPress) In preparation for the farmers' march to Delhi scheduled for Friday, security has been intensified at the Shambhu border on NH-44, with both Haryana and Punjab police deploying significant resources to manage the growing crowds of protesters.

Over 100 farmers are gearing up to march towards Delhi on Friday to advocate for their demands.

On Thursday, Haryana police reinforced the barricades near the border, adding three new layers, including a wire mesh and movable traffic barriers, to the already extensive seven-layer setup comprising walls, iron nails, and barbed wire. A tent was also erected as part of the preparations.

Multiple unions, including Bharatiya Kisan Union-Ekta and others from Haryana, are rallying under the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) and Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) banners to advance their demands during the march.

The protest site at the Shambhu border continues to swell with farmers arriving from Punjab districts like Taran Taran, Amritsar, Ferozepur, Bathinda, Sangrur, and Patiala, as well as Haryana districts such as Ambala and Sirsa.

Dialogue is the only way forward to resolve the issues of farmers, who should hold talks with Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Minister of State for Rural Development Kamlesh Paswan said on Thursday, as he extended an olive branch to the farmers protesting on the Punjab-Haryana border.

"No other government has done as much for farmers as the Modi government. We have assisted them in every sector," Paswan informed reporters at a press conference here.

"I would urge them (farmers) that our Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is very accessible; anyone who wants to discuss some issue, there can be no better platform for discussion," he stated.

Protests that disrupt the public will not aid the cause, Paswan remarked, adding that the farmers' issues can only be "resolved through dialogue".

Meanwhile, addressing a press conference at the Shambhu border, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher stated that farmers will proceed towards Delhi.

Farmers, gathered under the banner of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, had previously announced a foot march to the national capital. They have several demands, including seeking a legal guarantee for the minimum support price of crops.

A 'jatha' (group) of 101 farmers will begin their foot march to Delhi at 1 p.m. on Friday from the Shambhu border protest site, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher confirmed.

However, the Ambala district administration has issued an order under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), prohibiting any unlawful assembly of five or more individuals in the district.

According to the order issued by the Deputy Commissioner, any procession on foot, vehicles, or other modes has been barred until further notice.

The police in Ambala also raised an alert on Thursday regarding the farmers' planned march to Delhi, deploying senior officers to the border to assess the security situation.

Central paramilitary forces have also been stationed on the Haryana side of the border alongside multi-layered barricades.

The Ambala district administration on Wednesday advised the farmers to reconsider their march and only act after acquiring permission from Delhi Police.

Meanwhile, during a press conference at the Shambhu border on Thursday, Pandher announced, "The jatha will march towards Delhi (on Friday). What the government chooses to do is for them to decide. We will start our march towards Delhi at 1 p.m. from the Shambhu border."

He also mentioned that if the government obstructs their march, it would be a "moral victory" for the farmers.

"Their leaders at the Centre and in the states have been consistently stating that if the farmers do not bring tractor-trolleys, there should be no opposition. Therefore, if we proceed to Delhi on foot, there should be no reason to hinder the farmers," he added.

The farmers, gathered under the banner of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, previously announced a foot march to the national capital seeking a legal guarantee for the minimum support price of crops, among other demands.

They have been stationed at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 after their march to Delhi was halted by security forces.

Invoking Section 163 of the BNSS, the Ambala deputy commissioner-cum-district magistrate in an order dated November 30 prohibited unlawful assembly of five or more individuals and any procession on foot, vehicles or through any other mode.

"It is anticipated that a large number of protesters are likely to arrive from Punjab and Haryana and gather at the Shambu border to advance towards Delhi. Therefore, appropriate measures need to be implemented at the border points and within the district, including issuing prohibitory orders under Section 163 of BNSS to prevent the movement of any such individuals without prior permission," the order stated.

"Any individual or group on foot or in vehicles that could potentially damage public/private property and/or confront law enforcement agencies, thereby creating disruption in maintaining peace and public order, has been prohibited," it added.

This order will not impact police and other public servants on duty for maintaining law and order.

"This order shall commence from November 30, 2024, and continue until further notice," it stated.

"There are warnings that the agitators may encircle Parliament or permanently camp on the national highways leading to the national capital territory," the order mentioned, adding that the agitators have not secured any permission under Section 69 of the Haryana Police Act.

Speaking to reporters in Ambala on Thursday, Superintendent of Police Surinder Singh Bhoria urged all farmers to maintain peace and obtain permission to march to Delhi.

"I want to assure everyone that the district police have made sufficient arrangements to maintain law and order," he affirmed.

When informed that farmer leaders have stated that 101 of them will march to Delhi in a peaceful manner, Bhoria responded, "As I have stated, it is our shared responsibility to adhere to the law. Regardless of the provisions of law, they should be followed."

Pandher, for his part, noted, "This does not resemble a Punjab-Haryana border, but an international territory. If they (authorities) have their way, they would not even allow a bird to cross the border. They are treating us as though we are enemies from a foreign nation, when in reality we are citizens of this land who wish to peacefully march to the national capital to advocate for our demands."

"The first jatha leaving from the Shambhu border has been named 'Marjeevda Jatha'. It will comprise 101 farmers who will march to Delhi on foot from the Shambhu border," Pandher said.

Referring to a recent meeting between a farmers' delegation and Ambala SP, Pandher mentioned, "A proposal for discussions came from the government side, to which we replied that the farmers are willing to engage in dialogue only if the proposal comes from either the Centre or the Chief Minister's office in Haryana or Punjab."

In response to a question, Pandher indicated that after the first 'jatha', additional 'jathas' will also proceed towards the national capital in the following days.

To another inquiry, he stated that if the Haryana government resorts to force to prevent the first 'jatha' of 101 farmers from advancing towards Delhi, "it will merely expose the government."

"If they have deployed Central forces, drones, or are testing water cannons, it signifies their intention to stop us," he remarked.

"Tomorrow, the martyrdom day of Guru Teg Bahadur Ji will be commemorated at both Shambhu and Khanauri border points. The jatha will be dedicated to the martyrdom of Guru Teg Bahadur Ji," Pandher stated.

Earlier on Thursday, Punjab DIG (Patiala Range) Mandeep Singh Sidhu and SSP (Patiala) Nanak Singh met Pandher and Surjit Singh Phul at the Shambhu border.

Sidhu mentioned that the farmers assured the police they would maintain peace and not involve tractor-trolleys in the march.

The farmer leaders had previously announced that the first 'jatha' of farmers would be led by Satnam Singh Pannu, Surinder Sinhgh Chautala, Surjit Singh Phul, and Baljinder Singh.

Meanwhile, SKM leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal continued his fast-unto-death at the Khanauri border point on Thursday.

In addition to MSP, the farmers are also demanding a waiver of farm debt, pensions for farmers and farm labourers, no increase in electricity tariffs, withdrawal of police cases against farmers, and "justice" for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

Reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, and compensation for the families of farmers who died during the previous agitation in 2020-21 are also among their demands.