Farmers start protest march towards Delhi; Punjab-Haryana borders fortified

Hundreds of farmers, many of them riding tractor-trolleys, from the northern Indian state of Punjab today began "Delhi Chalo" road march to press for their demands, including a legal guarantee for minimum support price for crops, after a meeting with two federal ministers was inconclusive.

One group of farmers started the march around 10:00am from Fatehgarh Sahib and are moving towards Delhi while another group is moving towards the national capital from a different direction, reports our New Delhi correspondent.

Farmers start protest march towards Delhi; Punjab-Haryana borders fortified

Hundreds of farmers, many of them riding tractor-trolleys, from the northern Indian state of Punjab today began "Delhi Chalo" road march to press for their demands, including a legal guarantee for minimum support price for crops, after a meeting with two federal ministers was inconclusive.

One group of farmers started the march around 10:00am from Fatehgarh Sahib and are moving towards Delhi while another group is moving towards the national capital from a different direction, reports our New Delhi correspondent.

The agitation by the farmers from Punjab, governed by Aam Aadmi Party, comes ahead of fresh parliamentary elections due in a couple of months and after a year-long stir in 2020-21 amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.

Authorities in the BJP-ruled state of Haryana state have fortified the state's borders with Punjab at many places using concrete blocks, iron nails and barbed wire to foil the proposed march.

Riot control vehicles, including water cannons, have also been deployed at many places at Punjab and Haryana borders.

In Haryana, hundreds of paramilitary personnel and 50 from the Haryana Police have been deployed across various districts. These personnel are equipped with anti-riot gear and stationed at the state border with Punjab and the sensitive districts.

Additionally, drones and CCTV cameras are being used to monitor miscreants and mischievous elements, said a spokesperson.

The Haryana government has also imposed restrictions under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) in 15 districts, prohibiting assembly of five or more people and banning any kind of demonstrations or march with tractor trolleys.

Security in Delhi has also been scaled up with multi-layer barricades, concrete blocks, iron nails and walls of containers at border points.

Besides a legal guarantee for MSP, the farmers are also demanding implementation of a Commission's recommendations, pensions for farmers and farm labourers, farm debt waiver, reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act - 2013, withdrawal from the World Trade Organization and compensation for families of farmers who died during the previous agitation in 2020-21.