‘Delhi Chalo’ Temporarily Suspended: Farmers' March Halted by Haryana Police

Chandigarh - Protesting farmers from Punjab temporarily suspended their 'Delhi Chalo' march on Sunday after facing teargas shelling and water cannons from Haryana Police at the interstate border. The farmers, who were attempting to march to the national capital to demand agricultural reforms, alleged that at least eight individuals were injured in the police action, with one requiring hospitalization at the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in Chandigarh.

Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher announced the suspension of the march, stating, "We have called back the 'jatha' (group of 101 farmers)." He added that farmers would determine their next course of action following meetings with their representative forums, the Samyuka Kisan Morcha (non-political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha.

The incident occurred as the second batch of 101 farmers resumed their foot march from the Shambhu protest site on Sunday. They were met with heavy security measures, including multilayered barricades and a strong presence of Haryana security personnel. Despite attempts to negotiate with the police, who cited a prohibitory order under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), the farmers were forcefully dispersed.

Haryana Police Deputy Superintendent of Police Ram Kumar stated that police acted on clear instructions to verify the farmers' identities and permissions before allowing their passage. Haryana Police's Deputy Superintendent of Police Ram Kumar stated that the farmers disagreed with the requirement to present identification and permission before proceeding.

The farmers, who were arguing that being Indians, they have the right to march to their national capital, like any citizen, without permission, were met with a heavy welded wire mesh and at least 50 teargas shells. Security forces used 50 teargas shells to disperse protesting farmers attempting to cross barricades guarded by paramilitary and police.

This latest confrontation follows a previous incident on Friday where farmers alleged injuries to six individuals during a clash with security forces. Despite expressing their willingness for dialogue with the Centre, the farmers decided to resume their protest due to the lack of response from the government. Pandher stated that before the march resumed, they had not received any message from the Centre for talks about their issues.

The farmers are demanding legal guarantees for minimum support price (MSP) for crops, loan waivers, and agricultural reforms. Since their previous attempts to march to Delhi on February 13 and 21 were thwarted by heavy security at the Punjab-Haryana border, farmers under the banners of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have been staging protests at the border.

In response to the protests, the Haryana government has heightened security measures, deploying central paramilitary forces alongside state police. Mobile internet and bulk messaging services have been suspended in parts of Ambala district, and gatherings of five or more people have been banned. Government-run and private schools were shut for the day on the administration's order.