Farmers march to Delhi today, no entry of trucks, barbed wire barricades

The protesting farmers of Punjab are ready to march to Delhi today. The more than five-hour long meeting of farmers with Union Ministers on Monday night remained inconclusive. No solution could be found on the main demand of farmers on maximum support price of crops.

The farmers’ leaders said after the meeting that as the talks remained inconclusive, we will start the march towards Delhi at 10 am. They said that to put pressure on the central government, a call has been given by the farmers for 'Delhi Chalo' march.

In Chandigarh, Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Piyush Goyal and Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda held a meeting with farmer leaders at the Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration in Sector 26.

After 11 pm, an agreement was reached between the farmers and the government to repeal the Electricity Act 2020, give compensation to the farmers killed in Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh and withdraw the cases registered against the farmers during the farmers' movement.

But no agreement could be reached on three major demands of the farmers, which include making a law to guarantee minimum support price for all crops, farmer loan waiver and implementing the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission.

After the meeting was over, Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Samiti leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said that the 'Dilli Chalo' march is continuing. A representative of the farmers told the media, “Two years ago, the government had promised to fulfill half of our demands in writing, we wanted to resolve the issue peacefully, but the government is not honest. Want to destroy."

Delhi Police has taken every possible step to stop the farmers' march from entering the capital. Heavy police force is deployed at Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders. The police have imposed a one-month ban on public meetings and tractors and trolleys entering the city. In view of the protest, there will be a ban on all large gatherings in Delhi till March 12.

Authorities in Haryana have strengthened many of the state's borders with Punjab at several places, including Ambala, Jind, Fatehabad, Kurukshetra and Sirsa. Concrete blocks, iron nails and barbed wire have been used to barricade roads and prevent protesters from entering the state.

Haryana has also implemented the Prevention of Damage to Public and Private Property Act 2021, under which the culprits will have to pay. The State Home Department has instructed civil and police officials to follow the rules.

United Kisan Morcha and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha had announced 'Delhi Chalo' march. After the year-long agitation in 2020-21, the agitation calmed down after the government adopted a soft attitude and withdrew the agricultural laws.