Farmers halt ‘Delhi Chalo’ march till 29 Feb as focus shifts to youth’s death, says ‘agitation will get bigger’ | 10 pts

Farmers' march to the national capital has been halted till February 29 as groups leading the agitation turned their focus to the death of a youth in the ongoing protest. They claim they will not allow an autopsy or the cremation of the youth till the Punjab Police files a case against police in Haryana.

Shubhkaran Singh died of an injury to the back of his neck while protesting at Khanauri border, prompting farm leaders to suspend talks with the Centre. Following his death, the farmers observed 'black Friday' yesterday.

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Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher told ANI that a First Information Report (FIR) should be lodged against the Haryana Police. "Case under Section 302 IPC should be registered against those who are responsible for the death (of a farmer). We will not cremate that youth until he gets justice. There should be a complaint against the Haryana police and paramilitary who shot him," he said.

“The current agitation will get bigger and the march to Delhi will resume once the demand to grant martyr status for deceased farmer Shubh Karan Singh is acceded to,” Sarwan Singh Pandher said.

Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann announced a compensation of ₹1 crore and a government job for Shubh Karan’s sister. However, Shubh Karan’s family rejected the offer

“Until Punjab Police register a case against Haryana Police officials, we won’t allow the administration to conduct the post-mortem. Money doesn’t matter to us, justice does,” said Charanjit Singh, Shubh Karan Singh’s father told Hindustan Times

Regarding the resumption of the protest march to the national capital, Jagjit Singh Dallewal, the other leader at the helm of the agitation, told HT: “As of now, we are only focussing on justice for Shubh Karan Singh, therefore, we will not march to Delhi before February 29. The next course of action will be announced after holding a meeting, thereafter, with the leaders”.

Farmers will hold candle march on Saturday. Further, a plea has been submitted in Supreme Court to consider reasonable demands

Meanwhile, another protesting farmer has died at the Khanauri border, bringing the toll to 4 during the ongoing protest under the call for Delhi Chalo. The 62-year-old farmer, Darshan Singh from Amargarh village in Bathinda district, had been staying at the Khanauri border since February 13.

Sarwan Singh Pandher said that Darshan Singh died of cardiac arrest. "He was at the Khanauri border and is the fourth martyr of this farmers' agitation. He has been identified as Darshan Singh (62). He died of a heart attack," Pandher said.

Meanwhile, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait said that there should be a solution through dialogue and continuous talks with Centre are going on.

"People living in the forests protect the environment. From Bihar to Andhra Pradesh, which is a forest area, Adivasis worship the 'Jungle'. No army and farmers are standing face to face. We have people in the army also who comes from the farming background. There should be a solution through dialogue. Continuous talks are going on with the Centre," he said.

(With inputs from agencies and Hindustan Times)