Tear Gas and Barricades: Farmers’ March to Delhi Halted Amid Intense Standoff
Farmers marching toward Delhi were stopped at the Delhi-Haryana border on Friday following clashes with police, forcing them to call off their protest temporarily. The march, which began at 1 PM, was halted near the Shambhu border by heavy multi-layered barricades set up by Haryana police, including cement walls, metal spikes, and jersey barriers.
Tensions escalated as police used tear gas to disperse the advancing farmers, who attempted to push through the barricades. The situation remained volatile as the farmers, under the banners of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, stood firm on their demands for a legal guarantee of Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops.
The Haryana police invoked prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which bans gatherings of five or more people. To prevent the spread of rumors and misinformation, the Haryana government also suspended mobile internet and bulk SMS services in 11 villages of Ambala district until December 9.
Farmers’ Key Demands:
- Legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP).
- Farm debt waiver.
- Pension for farmers and agricultural laborers.
- Justice for victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence.
- Reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013.
- Compensation to families of farmers who died during the 2020-21 protests.
Since February 13, the farmers have been camping at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders after their earlier attempts to enter Delhi were blocked by authorities. Their ongoing struggle highlights the unresolved tensions between farmers and the government over agricultural policies and economic security.
News Source : “Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.”
