Farmers give nationwide 'rail roko' call for March 10

Farmer leaders Sarwan Singh Pandher and Jagjit Singh Dallewal on Sunday gave a call to the farmers across the nation to reach Delhi on March 6 for a protest while they also gave a four-hour 'rail roko' countrywide call for March 10 in support of their various demands.

The two farmer leaders asserted that the farmers' ongoing agitation will be intensified at the existing protest points and will continue till their demands are met by the government.

They were speaking in Bathinda district's Balloh village, the native village of a farmer who died recently during clashes with the Haryana security personnel in Khanauri.

Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) are spearheading the 'Delhi Chalo' march by the farmers to press the government to accept their demands, which includes that the Centre should give a legal guarantee of the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for the crops.

Both forums decided that while the farmers from Punjab and Haryana will continue to support the ongoing agitation at Shambhu and Khanauri border points, the farmers and farm labourers from other states should reach Delhi on March 6 for a protest in the national capital in support of the farmers' demands.

"The farmers from far away states, who cannot reach on tractor trolleys, should head to Delhi by trains and by other means of transport. It will also become clear whether the government allows those farmers to enter (Delhi) who go without tractor trolleys," Pandher said addressing the gathering at Balloh.

"At Shambhu and Khanauri, the agitation will continue like before and will be further intensified. Our agitation will continue till the demands are met," he added.

Pandher said the two forums to spread this agitation countrywide call upon the farmers and labourers across the country that the 'rail roko' protest will be held in the country from 12 pm to 4 pm on March 10 to put pressure on the government to meet the farmers' demands.

Pandher said that all Punjab panchayats should pass a resolution in support of the farmers' demands and from every village a tractor trolley reaches the protest border points.

He said that the Centre had never before used drones in the farmers agitation as the Haryana Police used recently.

The Haryana authorities have barricaded Shambhu and Khanauri, and made it like the Punjab-Haryana international border, he said.

Pandher said that the Centre used all tactics to stop their Delhi Chalo march.

"The Centre is trying to build a perception that the current agitation is limited to Punjab and the fight is led by only two forums. But we want to make it clear that more than 200 outfits in the country are part of the two forums," he said.

Alleging the Centre does not want to resolve the farmers' issue, Pandher also accused the BJP of playing divisive politics to win the elections.

"Farmers and farm labourers are not on their agenda," Pandher claimed.

"But our fight will continue. The perception being created that the agitation may die down when Model Code of Conduct for the polls come into force is not correct. We may have to fight today, tomorrow, but we will continue fight for our rights," he said.

Pandher also reiterated that India should come out of WTO agreement.

Dallewal on his part underlined, "We will have to fight till our last breath and we will fight till demands are met."

He said those who claim that agitation is limited to only Punjab, "then why curfew like situation has been imposed on Haryana borders".

Meanwhile, some resolutions, including FIR against those officials who gave orders to fire rubber bullets and other 'coercive' action against the protesting farmers, were also passed on the occasion.

Talking to reporters later, Dallewal said, "I want to clarify that our programme of Delhi Chalo stands. We will continue to protest in a peaceful manner."

"We will increase numbers on the borders where we are agitating," he added.

Replying to a question, Dallewal said though the Centre has not invited them for fresh round of talks, but they have never said no to talks whenever the government has invited them.

He said that the sacrifice of Shubhakaran Singh will not go in vain and the struggle will continue until the demands are met.

When asked that Samyukta Kisan Morcha, which spearheaded the 2020-21 farmers' agitation, has said over 400 farmers' outfits will participate in the 'Kisan Mahapanchayat' in Delhi on March 14 to press the Centre to accept the farmers' demands, including a law on the MSP, Pandher said that everyone has right to hold protest.

The protesting farmers have been staying put at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana after their "Delhi Chalo" march was stopped by the security forces.

They began their march on February 13 but were stopped by the security forces, which led to clashes at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points on Haryana-Punjab border.