Farmers Protest: ’Delhi Chalo’ march suspended for day after nine injured in tear gas shelling
Farmers suspend 'Delhi Chalo' march for day after some of them suffer injuries due to tear gas shells at Shambhu along Punjab-Haryana border
Protesting farmers temporarily suspended their ‘Delhi Chalo’ march on Sunday afternoon after several people were injured in a clash with security personnel. A jatha of 101 farmers were stopped by the Haryana police soon after resuming their foot march from the Shambhu protest site to Delhi. Teargas shells were lobbed and water jets were shot through cannons to disperse the protesters after they reached the barricades.
“Today we have decided to withdraw the 'jatha'. The agitation will continue today. One farmer has been admitted to PGI in a serious condition, and eight to nine farmers are injured. So we have withdrawn the 'jatha'. After the meeting, we will tell you about the future program,” farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher told ANI.
Ambala police had earlier said the farmers' outfits would only be allowed to march ahead after getting permission from the national capital administration.
Pandher said the farmers would decide their next course of action after a meeting of their forums – the Samyuka Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha.
“The team has been deployed here since morning...We gave clear instructions that we will check their (farmers) identity and permission and only then will we allow them to move forward...They disagreed...we want them to maintain peace and enter after taking permission,” said DSP Shahabad Ramkumar from the Punjab-Haryana border.
The situation has also taken political overtones in recent days — with several Opposition leaders urging the government to take a decision in favour of farmers.
“I am sitting in Uttar Pradesh and I request the people to decide if the loan of farmers should be waved off or not. Whether they should get the right price for their harvest. The farmers are hurt and in trouble. The people should decide what should be done,” said Congress leader Alka Lamba.
Meanwhile Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi insisted that there was “no need” for the farmers to march. He also reiterated that the government was ‘ready to talk’ and urged five farm representatives to come for discussions.
“The State Minister has said that there is no need to march. Their (farmers') 5 representatives should come and talk to the government. The government is ready to talk. In such a situation, a pretense of march is being made and politics is being done... Prime Minister Narendra Modi is very concerned about the condition of farmers,” he added.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Business NewsNewsIndiaFarmers Protest: ’Delhi Chalo’ march suspended for day after nine injured in tear gas shelling
First Published:8 Dec 2024, 04:15 PM IST
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