Farmers’ ‘Delhi Chalo’ March Suspended for Two Days After Clashes at Haryana-Punjab Border

The ‘Delhi Chalo’ march by protesting farmers has been suspended for the next two days after clashes erupted at the Haryana-Punjab border. The situation turned tense at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points this morning when Haryana Police fired tear gas shells to disperse the protestors who were attempting to remove barricades. The General Secretary of Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sarwan Singh Pandher announced the suspension of the march, with the future course of action to be decided on Friday, February 23.

The farmers claimed that a 22-year-old protestor from Bathinda, Shubhkaran Singh, was killed during the clash with the police. However, the police have denied this claim, calling it a rumor.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has assured action and announced financial aid for the family of the deceased protestor. He also stated that an FIR will be filed after the post-mortem. Security forces used tear gas, firing at least three rounds by Wednesday evening. The ‘Delhi Chalo’ protest march was initiated by farmers following a failure of talks with the Centre over minimum support price (MSP) guarantees.

Shubhkaran Singh, a 21-year-old farmer from Bhatinda, was killed on Wednesday in clashes between security personnel and protesting farmers at the Khanauri border. Twelve police personnel were also injured in the clashes.

The medical superintendent of Rajindra Hospital in Patiala, H S Rekhi, stated that Singh suffered a head injury, but the exact cause of death will be ascertained after the post-mortem. According to official reports, Shubhkaran Singh succumbed to a bullet injury. Farmers at the border alleged that the police used rubber bullets in addition to tear gas shells. Conversely, the Haryana police claimed that the farmers instigated the violence by attacking security personnel with stones and sticks. Later that evening, Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who was hit by a teargas shell, was admitted to Rajindra Hospital in Patiala. AAP leader and Punjab health minister Balbir Singh condemned the police’s actions as an “assault on democracy.” Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal asserted that Singh’s death was a result of police gunfire, although this has not been officially confirmed. 

Shubhkaran Singh was a resident of Balloh village in Bathinda, about 15 kilometers from Rampura Phul city. He was described as a hard-working contract farmer who cultivated 20 acres of land on contract with his uncle Charanjit Singh. He was also an activist of the Bhartiya Kisan Union Sidhupur and had participated in the 2021 farmers’ agitation.

Union Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda stated that though several rounds of discussions with the farmers were held, more efforts have to be made from both sides to reach a consensus. He affirmed the central government’s commitment to working for the interest of farmers. The government and the protesting farmers must work together to find a mutually beneficial solution that addresses the concerns of the farming community while ensuring the safety and security of all involved.

By – Kashish Jain