North News
Chandigarh, January 16
A group of 101 farmers will restart their march to Delhi from the Shambhu border on January 21, demanding a legal guarantee for minimum support prices (MSP) for crops, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said on Thursday. The group had previously attempted to march on December 6, December 8, and December 14 but was stopped by Haryana security personnel. Meanwhile, protests have escalated at the Khanauri border, where 111 farmers began a fast-unto-death on January 15 in solidarity with leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who has been on hunger strike since November 26. The unrest has seen two suicides. Resham Singh, 55, from Tarn Taran, consumed poison at the Shambhu border on January 9, following the death of farmer Ranjodh Singh at the same protest site on December 18, underscoring the rising desperation among demonstrators. Farmers are demanding MSP guarantees and broader reforms to address systemic challenges faced by the agriculture sector. Despite repeated appeals, the government has not met their core demands, fueling the unrest. The protests are viewed as a critical test of the government’s willingness to address farmers’ grievances as leaders like Dallewal continue hunger strikes to spotlight their demands.
