Tear Gas Used At Farmers, Centre Calls For Fifth Round Of Talk
Farmers protesting at the two border points of Punjab and Haryana resumed the ‘Dilli Chalo’ march on Wednesday. The Haryana police have fired tear gas on the protestors at the Haryana Shambu border.
The farmers resumed the march following the failure of the talks with the central government over minimum support price (MSP) guarantees. However, union minister Arjun Munda has once again invited the farmer leaders for a fifth round of talk.
Taking on to X, he wrote in Hindi, “After the fourth round, the government is ready to discuss all the issues like MSP demand, crop diversification, stubble (burning) issue, and (registration of) FIR (during 2020-21 protest) in the fifth round. I again invite the farmer leaders for discussion. We must maintain peace”.
सरकार चौथे दौर के बाद पांचवें दौर में सभी मुद्दे जैसे की MSP की माँग, crop diversification, पराली का विषय, FIR पर बातचीत के लिए तैयार है।मैं दोबारा किसान नेताओं को चर्चा के लिए आमंत्रित करता हूँ। हमें शांति बनाये रखना जरूरी है।@AHindinews@DDNewsHindi@DDKisanChannel
— Arjun Munda (@MundaArjun) February 21, 2024
The farmer”s protest was previously halted on Sunday evening after the fourth round of talk with the union ministers. The farmer leaders have warned earlier that they will resume their march to Delhi if their demands are not met by the Centre by February 21.
As the farmers relaunched the march today, the government has estimated that nearly 14,000 people have gathered along the Punjab-Haryana border with 1,200 tractor-trolleys, 300 cars, 10 mini-buses as well as small vehicles, reports Hindustan Times.
The farmers who have been protesting are well-equipped with gas masks, bulldozers, and other heavy machines to take on the police. Meanwhile, the Haryana police issued a statement on X warning the owners of the earthmover machines and bulldozers taking part in the protest.
In the post on X, they wrote, “For owners and operators of Poclains, JCBs: Pls do not provide your equipments to the protestors and withdraw them from the protest site if already done, as they may be used to cause harm to security forces. It is a non bailable offence and you may be held criminally liable.”
For owners and operators of Poclains,JCBs:
Pls do not provide your equipments to the protestors and withdraw them from the protest site if already done, as they may be used to cause harm to security forces. It is a non bailable offence and you may be held criminally liable.— Haryana Police (@police_haryana) February 21, 2024
According to Hindustan Times, the government has also equipped themselves with concrete, loaded buses, trucks and shipping containers to thwart the farmer’s plan to march into the national capital.
The farmer groups have formed a human chain at the Shambhu border crossing. The police have fired one round of tear gas in a bid to disperse the farmers before they begin their march. Tear gas shells, and water cannons were also used twice last week.
