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• Feb 21, 2024 | Guriya Khatun

After four rounds of unsuccessful talks with the Centre seeking a legal guarantee on the minimum support price (MSP) for crops, the protestors are scheduled to resume their march today from the two locations on the Punjab-Haryana border.

Digital Desk: The 'Dilli Chalo' march, which started on February 13, has led to hundreds of farmers setting up camp near Shambhu and Khanauri on the Punjab-Haryana border. 

The following ten things concerning the current unrest, which includes traffic advisories, social media account seizures, and bans on mobile internet, should be noted.

1. Delhi Traffic Police posted on social media during the farmers' protest, saying, "On 21-02-24, due to special traffic arrangements kindly avoid IP Marg in both the carriageways from IP Flyover towards A-point and vice-versa, ITO Chowk, DDU Marg, BSZ Marg, JLN Marg, Shanti Van crossing and Rajghat crossing from 9:30 am to 11:30 am." As a result of the ongoing protest. 

2. The administration announced on Tuesday that about 14,000 people, along with 1,200 tractor trolleys, 300 automobiles, 10 mini-buses, and other small vehicles, had congregated along the Punjab-Haryana border. According to insiders, the Punjab government's handling of the matter drew harsh criticism from the Center. 

3. The farmers who were protesting were reprimanded by the Punjab and Haryana High Court on February 20, which declared that tractor-trolleys were not permitted to be used on public roads. As per the Motor Vehicle Act, tractor trolleys are prohibited from being used on highways, the court ruled. The court stated, “According to the Motor Vehicle Act, you can’t use tractor trolleys on the highway. You are travelling from Amritsar to Delhi on trolleys," the bench comprising acting Chief Justice, GS Sandhawalia and Justice Lapita Banerji said, noting that “everyone knows about rights but there are constitutional duties" as well. The Punjab government's approval of the sizable farmer assembly was also questioned by the judges.

4. According to sources, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology issued orders on February 14 and 19 to temporarily restrict about 177 social media accounts and websites linked to the farmers' protest. In accordance with section 69A of the IT Act, these directives were issued at the Ministry of Home Affairs' request. 

5. Head of the farmers' organization Sarwan Singh Pandher emphasized that farmers should be allowed to continue their Wednesday march, saying, "The government's objective was quite apparent that they would not let us approach Delhi at any cost...We should be free to march in the direction of Delhi if you're unable to work with farmers to find a solution, according to ANI.

6. The Delhi Police issued an alert to security staff stationed at the city's border crossings at Tikri, Singhu, and Ghazipur to stay alert. On Tuesday, the Delhi Police also held mock drills. Additionally, law enforcement officials increased security measures in the National Capital Region (NCR) and at Delhi's borders. 

7. In addition, in response to the ongoing 'Delhi Chalo' protest by farmers, the Haryana government on Tuesday decided to prolong the ban on mobile internet and bulk SMS services in seven districts till Wednesday. 

8. Arjun Munda, the Union Minister, urged the farmers who were staging protests on Tuesday to keep the peace, saying, "We have to take it forward from discussion to solutions...we want to ensure that we all get together to find a solution and brainstorm over the issue." 

9. Union minister V K Singh accused the farmer leaders of failing to look for a solution to their issues on Tuesday, stating that it is difficult for any administration to abide by their demands. 

10. As they prepare to resume their 'Delhi Chalo' from the interstate boundary, protesting Punjabi farmers brought bulldozers, which the Haryana Police ordered the Punjab Police to confiscate on Tuesday.

After four rounds of unsuccessful talks with the Centre seeking a legal guarantee on the minimum support price (MSP) for crops, the protestors are scheduled to resume their march today from the two locations on the Punjab-Haryana border. These talks turned out to be inconclusive even as Union ministers met the farmers in Chandigarh in the presence of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. 

Ten demands were made by the protestors, which included the following: a legal guarantee of the minimum support price (MSP) for all crops; the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission's formula; complete debt waiver for farmers; pensions for labourers and farmers; and the withdrawal of cases brought against farmers during the 2020–21 protest, among several others.