One year of Delhi Protest 2: 10,000 farmers gather at Shambhu, announce meet with Centre

Shambhu: As many as 10,000 farmers gathered at the Shambhu border for the farmers' protest that completed one year on February 13.

The Delhi agitation started with the call of Delhi Chalo by the two farmer organisations—Kisan Mazdoor Morcha and Sanyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-political)—and completed one year on Thursday at Shambhu, Khanauri and Ratanpura (Rajasthan) borders.

At the annual gathering held on this occasion, thousands of farmers and labourers attended and warned the government that despite 12 months on the streets, the enthusiasm of the agitators is not waning.

Misleading information about farmers

Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher issued a press statement from organisations from different states who shared their views with the agitating farmers and labourers. The leaders said that from the very beginning, the government and the so-called pro-government intellectuals have been making unreasonable, unfounded and negative criticism and false propaganda against the movement and the protesting organisations

Farmers said firing live bullets, using tear gas, rubber bullets, pellet bombs, sticks, poisonous sprays, sending mischievous elements to the front to incite the common people, creating electricity/water problems and hundreds of other tactics to derail the movement.

“But due to the clean and honest leadership of the organisations, the movement has continuously expanded and has raised the voice of the rights of farmers and labourers as a challenge to the government by successfully running the movement throughout the year,” he said.

Nationwide movement

They said that due support has been received from every state of the country during the year and the narrative created that only Punjab and Haryana were involved in the movement against Delhi Movement 2 has also been broken by giving countrywide rail blockades, tractor marches and other actions.

He said that the enthusiasm of the people is proving that the movement has increased awareness of the legitimate demands in the minds of the people and the government should understand that this movement is not going to end without the achievement of the demands.

Honouring the martyred

Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said that on February 21 last year, on the orders of the Haryana government and the police there, a young farmer Shubhkaran Singh was martyred by firing live bullets at farmers and labourers who were trying to move towards Delhi.

“On February 21, a large gathering will be at Shambhu, Khanauri Ratanpura (Rajasthan) borders along with his native village Ballo to pay tribute to all the martyrs including Shaheed Shubhkaran Singh,” he said.

It was also announced that the delegation for the meeting with the central government on 14 February will include Sarwan Singh Pandher (Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee Punjab), Jaswinder Singh Longowal (BKU Ekta Azad), Manjeet Singh Rai (BKU Doaba), Balwant Singh Behramke (BKU Behramke), Bibi Sukhwinder Kaur (BKU Krantikari), Dilbagh Singh Gill (BKMU), Ranjeet Singh Raju (GKS Rajasthan), Okar Singh Bhangala (Kisan Mazdoor Hitkari Sabha), Nand Kumar (Progressive Farmers Front Tamil Nadu), P.T. John (Kerala), Malkit Singh Gulamiwala (Kisan Mazdoor Morcha), Tejveer Singh Panjokhra (BKU Shaheed Bhagat Singh Haryana), Jang Singh Bhaterhi (BKU Bhaterhi), and Satnam Singh Bahru (Indian Farmers Association).

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) delegation, led by Jagjit Singh Dallewal, will include Kaka Singh Kotra (General Secretary, BKU Ekta Sidhupur), Abhimanyu Kohar (Convenor, Bhartiya Kisan Nauzwan Union), Sukhjeet Singh Hardojhande (President, Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Union), Inderjeet Singh Kotbudha (President, Kisan Sangharsh Committee Kotbudha), Sukhjinder Singh Khosa (President, BKU Khosa), P.R. Pandian (Tamil Nadu), Kurabru Shantakumar (Karnataka), Lakhwinder Singh Aulakh (President, Bhartiya Kisan Ekta), Sukhdev Singh Bhojraj (President, Kisan Tejwan Bhalai Union), Bachittar Singh Kotla (President, Kisan Nauzwan Sangharsh Committee), Arun Sinha (Bihar), Harpal Singh Baladi (Uttar Pradesh), and Inderjeet Singh Panniwala (Rajasthan).

Farmers to continue their fight

Finally, the leaders announced that the struggle will continue until all demands, including setting crop prices according to the Swaminathan Commission report with a legal guarantee for MSP, full debt waiver for farmers and workers, 200 days of work under MNREGA with a daily wage of Rs 700, implementation of tribal rights under the Constitution’s Fifth Schedule, and meaningful solutions to all other issues, are achieved.