Farmers' 'jatha' will march to Delhi from Shambhu border on Friday, says leader Sarwan Pandher

Chandigarh: A 'jatha' of 101 farmers will embark on a march to Delhi at 1 pm Friday from the Shambhu border protest site, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher has said.

Addressing a press conference at Shambhu border on Thursday, Pandher said, "The jatha will march towards Delhi. What the government will do, it is for them to think. We will begin our march towards Delhi at 1 pm from the Shambhu border." He said that even now if the government stop them from carrying out their march, it will be a "moral victory" for them.

"Because their leaders have been saying if farmers do not bring tractor trolleys then there should be no objection," he said.

Ambala Police in Haryana flagged a high alert following farmers plan of a Delhi march and sent senior officers including Ambala district police chief to the border to assess security.

Central paramilitary forces have also been deployed on the Haryana side of the border. Ambala had on Wednesday asked farmers to reconsider their march and contemplate any action only after getting permission from the Delhi Police.

The administration has already imposed Section 163 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, restricting assembly of five or more persons in the district and issued notices at the protest site.

"It does not look like a Punjab-Haryana border, but an international territory. If they have their way they will not allow even a bird to cross it," Pandher told reporters.

He also said there was no plan yet of a march from Khanauri border in Haryana.

"We have no announcement to march (to Delhi) from Khanauri border point, despite that there is heavy deployment of police," he said.

Earlier in the day, Deputy Inspector General of Police Mandeep Singh Sidhu (Patiala Range) and Senior Superintendent of Police Patiala Nanak Singh met Pandher and Surjit Singh Phul at Shambhu border.

Farmers, gathered under the banner of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, had earlier announced a foot march to the national capital seeking a legal guarantee for minimum support price of crops, and over their several other demands.

Sidhu said the farmer assured police that they will be peaceful and will not take tractor-trolleys in the march. "They will go on foot," he said about the marchers.

Farmers have been camping at Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 after their march to Delhi was stopped by security forces.

It was earlier announced that the first 'jatha' of farmers would be led by Satnam Singh Pannu, Surinder Sinhgh Chautala, Surjit Singh Phul, and Baljinder Singh.

Police have also erected a steel mesh to shield them from any stone pelting. Ambala administration is yet to lift the barricading.

On February 21, Shubhkaran Singh, a farmer from Punjab, died during a clash at Khanauri border when protesters tried to march towards Delhi. Teargas shells were also lobbed by the security forces.

Besides the MSP, farmers are demanding a farm debt waiver, pension for farmers and farm labourers, no hike in electricity tariff, withdrawal of police cases and "justice" for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

Reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, and compensation to the families of the farmers who died during a previous agitation in 2020-21, are also two of their demands.