Delhi Chalo protest: How farmers plan to cross Haryana border, march to Capital

The farmers are back and they are marching to Delhi. They have resumed their ‘Delhi Chalo’ protest march from the Punjab-Haryana border today after their talks with the Centre over their demands, namely the Minimum Support Price (MSP), — didn’t yield positive results.

The farmers’ march is likely to affect life in Delhi and its surrounding areas with security also being beefed up. In fact, the two border points of Delhi and Haryana — Tikri and Singhu — have been sealed with heavy police deployment and multi-layered concrete barricades and iron nails.

But how did we get here? And how are the farmers planning on crossing the barricaded Haryana borders?

Farmers reject Centre’s offer, resume march

Farmers under the Samyukta Kisan Morcha – a faction which is un-affiliated to any political party – had earlier launched a peaceful march of tractors-trolleys to Delhi with their list of demands , of which MSP is the core issue.

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First, over 100s of farmers began their march on 13 February from the outskirts of Fatehgarh Sahib in Punjab until the Shambhu border. However, as the farmers began to move forward they were met with the state authorities and violence broke out. According to the farmers, the security personnel tear-gassed them and even used rubber pellets and batons against the convoy of farmers. Reports stated that at least 60 of the protesting farmers were injured in the violence that broke out.

It was then decided that the farmers would put their march on strike and initiated talks with the Centre — three ministers, Piyush Goyal, Arjun Munda and Nityanand Rai. On Sunday during the fourth round of talks, the government made an offer to procure five crops — moong dal, urad dal, tur dal, maize and cotton — on MSP for five years based on a contract system. However, a day later, the farmers rejected the proposal, saying it was not in the farmers’ interest.

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“The proposal that was presented before us was different than what Union Minister Piyush Goyal disclosed before the media after the fourth round of meeting on Sunday night. In the meeting, it was proposed that for the five crops, procurement would be done on MSP. But when the minister conveyed after the meeting that the procurement would be on a contract system, the real intention was exposed. So, after deliberating on the minister’s statement, we have decided to reject the offer,” said Sarwan Singh Pandher, coordinator of the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, addressing a press conference at the Shambhu Barrier in Patiala.

He added that in light of these developments the farmers had decided to resume their Delhi Chalo march on 21 February from the Shambhu and Khanauri points between Punjab and Haryana where they have been camping.

Farmers’ long march to Delhi

Early Wednesday morning, the farmers’ tractorcade began their journey to Delhi with news agency PTI reporting that at the Shambhu border point, they had brought excavators in order to make their way through the multi-layered barricades set up by the Haryana security personnel. Some of the farmers are carrying masks to protect themselves from tear-gas shells.

VIDEO | Farmers wearing gas mask at #ShambhuBorder as they prepare to resume their 'Delhi Chalo' march today.#FarmersProtest

(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/ku7ZJjiWmF

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 21, 2024

Farmer leaders Sarwan Singh Pandher and Jagjit Singh Dallewal ahead of the march, in a press conference pleaded with the government to remove the barricades and said that they were “ready to die in the interest of the nation.” “We are ready to die in the interest of our nation… if any confrontation happens, those who had put up these barricades will be responsible… those who brought in paramilitary, who fired tear gas and rubber bullets at us, they will be responsible for what is going to happen today,” said Sarwan Singh Pandher.

Jagjit Singh Dallewal added, “It is our endeavour that we move ahead peacefully. It is not our intention to create any confrontation. Are we foreigners? Doesn’t the Constitution of India give us the right to talk freely? When the dharna was going on at Jantar Mantar, even Rajnath Singh had gone there. Why doesn’t he come here to our dharna now?”

According to PTI reports, around 14,000 farmers are ready at the Shambhu border and will march towards Delhi at 11 am. Moreover, around 1,200 tractor trolleys, 300 cars and 10 mini-buses will be used for the march.

The farmers have also geared up to counter any of the barriers that the authorities have placed in their way to Delhi. As per an NDTV report, they have created a makeshift tank — a JCB machine mounted on a tractor, with the operator cabin covered with iron sheets to protect the person from tear gas shells and rubber pellets.

Additionally, they are also carrying soil-filled sacks to make a temporary bridge in order to cross the Ghaggar river in Ambala. This is after the Haryana Police dug up the river bed to stop the movement of tractors, trolleys and other motor vehicles.

Security measures beefed up

The Haryana, Delhi and Punjab Police have beefed up security arrangements as the farmers gear up for their march. In fact, the Haryana Police urged its Punjab counterpart to seize bulldozers and other earthmoving equipment from the inter-state border, which they say the protesters will use to break the barricades.

Haryana Director General of Police (DGP) Shatrujeet Kapoor in a letter to his Punjab counterpart wrote: “It is reliably learnt that heavy earthmoving equipment, including digger, JCB etc, that have been further modified/armour-plated have been acquired by protesting farmers and have been deployed at the border locations where the protesters are camping right now.

“These machines are meant to be used by the protesters to damage the barricades, thereby posing serious danger to the police and paramilitary forces deployed on duty, and are likely to compromise the security scenario in Haryana.”

The Haryana DGP also warned that there were inputs that protestors may keep women, children and senior citizens in the front so that the police can be deterred from taking legal action and that they would take necessary action if farmers resort to forcefully removing the barricades, leading to avoidable risk of injury/hardship to women, children and senior citizens.

The Haryana government has also further extended the ban on mobile internet and bulk text-message services in seven districts until Wednesday in view of the agitation.

The Delhi Police was also ready for the protesters with Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outer) Jimmy Chiram saying there was sufficient deployment of the force, besides paramilitary personnel, at the Delhi-Haryana border.

Another officer said Delhi Police is prepared to stop the farmers at the city borders. Security personnel have been directed to not allow even a single protester or vehicle to enter the capital, he said, adding that mock security drills were conducted on Tuesday. Delhi Police has already stocked up 30,000 tear gas shells.

There’s also traffic diversions in place in New Delhi with authorities asking commuters to avoid several roads. Taking to X, the police wrote, “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.”

With inputs from agencies