NEW DELHI: Sarwan Singh Pandher, leader of the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), has announced that a new group of 101 farmers will attempt to march to Delhi from the Shambhu border in Haryana on Saturday at noon.
The protest against the controversial agricultural laws has now reached its 307th day, with farmers continuing to demand dialogue with the government.
Pandher criticized the government’s response, accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan of remaining silent on the issue.
He alleged that government agencies are trying to undermine the movement and suggested that actions from Punjab and Haryana alone wouldn’t be sufficient to influence the government. “The farmers’ protest has entered its 307th day.
Today, our third group of 101 farmers will head to Delhi by noon. The entire nation supports us, but our Prime Minister and the Union Agriculture Minister choose to remain silent,” Pandher stated.
He also condemned BJP MPs for fostering divisions within communities, adding that the government’s approach aims to weaken the protest.
Pandher called on the public to continue rallying behind the movement, asserting that no matter the government’s power, it can never overshadow the will of the people.
“No matter how strong the government is, it can never be bigger than the citizens of this country,” he emphasized, stressing that the protest represents a collective effort by ordinary individuals striving for change in governance and laws.
The farmers’ agitation has garnered extensive support from states like Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, with protest sites near Delhi serving as key centers of resistance.
Farmers are enduring tough weather conditions and have set up makeshift camps to voice their demands. Meanwhile, drone footage from the Haryana-Punjab Shambhu border showed farmers blocking roads with vehicles. On Friday, Pandher urged residents of Punjab and Haryana to gather at the Khanauri and Shambhu borders as the protest entered its tenth month.
In a related matter, the Supreme Court intervened regarding Jagjit Singh Dallewal, the convener of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (NonPolitical), who has been on a hunger strike since November 26.
The Court called on the Union and Punjab governments to provide him medical assistance, highlighting that “his life is more precious than any agitation.” The farmers’ demands include a 12-point charter, with a key emphasis on ensuring Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for crops.
As protests escalate, farmers remain firm in their quest for justice. On the political side, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini criticized the Congress and opposition parties over their position on MSP.
In response to Congress’s claims of supporting farmers, Saini accused them of not purchasing crops at MSP in states like Himachal Pradesh and Telangana. “Over the last decade, we have procured crops at MSP. Congress and AAP have not fulfilled their promises,” he stated.
