They will not use tractors and will go to Delhi on foot: farm managers

Days before the march to the national capital on December 6, farmer leaders under the banners of Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) and Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) announced that they would not use tractor trailers to travel to Delhi.

Farmer unions said they were accused of using tractors to break barricades and cause violence, so they decided to march to the national capital to press their demands on foot.

KMM organizer Sarwan Singh Pandher said, “We will not drive tractor-trailers this time. The Haryana and Union Governments should allow us to proceed towards Delhi. We will march peacefully, and if the government continues to use tear gas and guns, then they will remain unprotected.”

The Haryana government has repeatedly stated that it will not allow farmers to travel on tractor trailers.

“Farmers will march to the national capital in groups led by union leaders,” he added.

The protesting farmers have been camping at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 when their ‘Delhi Chalo’ march led by the SCM (non-political movement) and the KMM was stopped by security forces.

The farmers are agitating for a host of demands, including a legal guarantee of MSP for their produce, implementation of the Swaminathan Commission formula, complete debt relief for farmers, pensions for farmers and workers and cessation of cases against farmers during the 2020-21 protest.

Pandher said they are open to talks with the Union government if invited. “We want to resolve issues through dialogue. But the government does not seem to be in the mood to hold discussions,” Pandher said.

The last meeting between the Union government and farmer unions was held on February 18 this year.

Detailing his plan to move towards Delhi, Tejveer Singh, BKU spokesperson Shaheed Bhagat Singh, said the first group of around 50 farmers will be led by leaders Satnam Singh Pannu and Surinder Singh Chautala. He added that the second group will be led by farmer leader Surjit Singh Phool.

Meanwhile, it is learned that a high-powered five-member committee appointed by the Supreme Court to resolve agrarian issues affecting farmers and farm workers has completed its report.

The Supreme Court formed a committee on September 2 to address various demands of farmers protesting since February, including a legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for crops.

The committee, headed by a former judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, has already met various farmer unions and agriculture experts before finalizing the issues, according to people familiar with the situation.

The committee has already interacted with the SKM (Non-Political), which submitted a charter of demands to the committee last month, while the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) refused to hold talks with the group.