High Drama at Shambhu Border as Farmers Resume Delhi March, Defy Restrictions | Video

Chandigarh: Tension flared up at the Punjab - Haryana border on Saturday as police used tear gas, water cannons, and chemical-laced sprays to stop protesting farmers attempting to march towards Delhi. The clash left over five farmers injured, including Kuldeep Singh, a member of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta Azad).  

Farmers Resume March to Delhi  

A group of 101 farmers, part of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political), resumed their march from the Shambhu protest site around noon to demand a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) for crops and other issues. However, the march was halted just a few meters from the starting point by multilayered barricades set up by Haryana police. 

As farmers attempted to break through the barricades, police responded with force, using tear gas and high-pressure water cannons. Reports also claim the use of a chemical-laced spray, intensifying the confrontation, which lasted for about 40 minutes.  

Several farmers sustained injuries during the clash. Kuldeep Singh of BKU Ekta Azad was among those hurt. Farmers accused the authorities of suppressing their voices, with one protester saying, “We should be allowed to go. It is our right to go to the national capital and protest. Our voices should not be silenced.”  

Demands of Protesting Farmers

The protesting farmers are pressing for several demands, including:  

• A legal guarantee for minimum support prices (MSP)  
• Debt waivers for farmers  
• Pensions for farmers and agricultural laborers  
• Withdrawal of police cases filed during earlier protests  
• Justice for victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence  
• No increase in electricity tariffs