Farmers' Protest: Opposition Slams Centre After Farmer Dies In Clashes At Khanauri; 'Delhi Chalo' On Hold For 2 Days

Farmers look for cover after police fired tear gas at them near the Punjab-Haryana Shambhu border. (Image: PTI)

Farmer leaders put the ‘Delhi Chalo’ March on hold for two days after a 21-year-old farmer — Shubhkaran Singh — died to a head injury at Khanauri on the Punjab-Haryana border. About 12 police personnel were also injured in the clashes at Khanauri.

Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher late on Wednesday told media that over the next two days they will hold discussions over the incident that took place in Khanauri. “We will clarify the entire situation later as to what our further movement will be…”

Meanwhile, the Opposition parties launched a scathing attack against the Centre over failing to consider the farmers’ demands.

YOGI ADITYANATH ORDERS FORMATION OF COMMITTEE

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday ordered formation of committee to look into the issues of farmers from Gautam Buddh Nagar, who are protesting against the local Noida and Greater Noida authorities.

The order came ahead of the threat from the local farmers’ groups to take out a foot march to Delhi to press on their demands. Their attempt to go to the national capital on February 8 was a failed one.

These farmers are demanding hike in compensation, along with developed plots in lieu of their land acquired by the NTPC and local authorities in the past.

The committee, to be headed by the chairman of the UP Revenue Council, will look into the farmers’ issues and then submit its report to the government, said District Magistrate Manish Kumar Verma.

HARYANA GOVT EXTENDS BAN ON MOBILE INTERNET

The Haryana government, once again, extended the suspension of mobile internet services and bulk SMS services in seven of its districts till February 23 in view of the ongoing farmers’ protest.

The internet services will be banned in Ambala, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad and Sisra districts.

According to the order, the suspension of mobile internet services, bulk SMS (excluding banking and mobile recharge) and all dongle services, etc. provided on mobile networks (with the exception of voice calls) in the jurisdiction of the seven districts has been been extended till February 23.

The order has been issued under Section 5 of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 and Rule 2 of Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency or Public Safety) Rules 2017.

UP FARMERS TRIES TO SET HIMSELF ABLAZE

Farmers across the western UP districts staged protests and carried out marches to voice their demands of MSP. Muzaffarnagar, Meerut, Ghaziabad and Greater Noida saw several protests.

In Muzaffarnagar, one of the farmers tried to kill himself by setting himself in fire. Fortunately, his fellow protesters doused the fire in time and rushed him to a local hospital.

Chief Magistrate Vikash Kashyap visited the hospital and said that the farmer, Brijpal, suffered minor burn injuries on his face and was given treatment immediately.

Meanwhile, BKU leader Naresh Tikait asked the protesting farmers to take part in a tractor march on February 26 and 27 to condemn the abomination on their counterparts in Punjab and Haryana.

FARMER DIES IN CLASHES AT KHANAURI BORDER

A 21-year-old farmer from Punjab, Shubhkaran Singh, died in the clashes that took place amid the farmers’ protest at Khanauri on the Punjab-Haryana Border on Wednesday.

About 12 police personnel were also injured in the clashes at Khanauri border.

The Haryana Police also fired tear gas shells and water cannons at the farmers to thwart their attempts to breach the security barricades at Shambhu and Khanauri borders.

Following the clashes and Singh’s death, farmer leaders decided to put a two-day stay on their ‘Delhi Chalo’ march. Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher, head of Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, said “We will have discussions over the incident that took place in Khanauri. There will be a two-day stay on our march towards Delhi. We will clarify the entire situation later as to what our further movement will be.”

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann reacted to the 21-year-old farmer’s death and said, “The news of the death of 21-year-old Shubhakaran was received today during the incident at Khanuri border… It is very sad that the youth of my state is no longer in this world… I want to ask the central government… That the farmer of Punjab cannot go to the capital of his own country?”

OPPOSITION’S ATTACK OVER FARMER’S DEATH

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party leader Rahul Gandhi condoled Shubhkaran Singh’s death in the firing at Khanauri border and said that history will demand an accounts of farmers killings.

In a post on X, Kharge said, “”When farmers’ lives will not be saved…Then, how will India remain silent?” “The death of young farmer Shubhkaran Singh of Bathinda due to firing on Khanauri border is very painful.”

“One day history will definitely demand an account of the ‘killing of farmers’ from the BJP which is hiding behind the friendly media,” Rahul Gandhi posted on X with the hashtag of “#FarmerLivesMatter”

National Congress Party (NCP) founder Sharad Pawar on Wednesday said on one hand Prime Minister Narendra Modi is giving various “guarantees” to farmers, but on the other cultivators are committing suicide over debt issues.

Speaking at a conclave at Manchar in Ambegaon tehsil, Pawar said, “Today, farmers are facing hardships in the country. He toils hard but despite that he does not get remunerative price for his products. If input cost is high and output is low, then it leads to farmers getting debt-ridden and due to this situation, farmers take extreme steps. Such a scenario is currently prevalent in the country.”

Newspapers and television channels are full of advertisements where the PM is seen offering various “guarantees” to farmers such as good price and market for their produce, the veteran politician said.

Slamming the Centre for its policies, Pawar further said, “On one side, there is ‘Modi Ki Guarantee’ but on the other side, somewhere someone (referring to farmers) is committing suicide.”

WILL BAN POLITICIANS FROM VILLAGES, SAYS RAKESH TIKAIT

Bhartiya Kisan Union National spokesperson Rakesh Tikait on Wednesay said that if the government’s doesn’t allow the farmers to enter the national capital then they will also stop the government or politicians from entering their villages during elections.

Meerut farmers carried out a tractor march to the collectorate to press for the need of fulfilment of their demands of MSP for crops and withdrawal of criminal cases against some farmers registered during the 2020-21 farmers agitation.

“Putting nails on the road is not justified. If they put nails on our way, we will also do the same in our villages. We also have to do barricading of our villages. If they are not allowing us to reach Delhi, we will not let them enter our villages,” Tikait told reporters.

Tikait slammed the Centre and said that the government is only for industrialists. “If it were a farmers’ government, a law guaranteeing MSP would have come into force.”

(With PTI inputs)