Protester organizations from across India will march to Delhi on Wednesday to present their various demands to the central government. The demands include key issues affecting agriculture, including legal recognition of minimum support price (MSP) for crops, pensions for farmers and farmers, agricultural exemptions and prevention of rising electricity prices.
Agriculture minister Tejveer Singh spoke to reporters at Shambhu border on Tuesday and announced the peaceful march of Delhi Jantar Mantra. Singh added that protestors from different states are ready to join the march, while organizations from Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar are also ready to join the movement.
Delhi Police has tightened security at important places like railway stations, metro stations and bus stands, along with Tikri, Singhu and Ghazipur borders, as protestors oppose the strike. The purpose of security development is to ensure the security of all participants and maintain order in the event of an attack.
Also,protestors continued to raise their voices on agricultural issues in an important response, calling for a nationwide “rail roko” strike on March 10. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) in the state has also raised concerns about legal protection of MSPs, protests against the Power Reform Act, debt payment, electricity, etc. He planned to hold a Mahapanchayat in Delhi on March 14 to highlight the urgency of resolving issues like, pensions and the rollback of controversial employment rights.
The protestors’ ongoing agitation dates back to February 13, when they started camping in various places on the border of the capital with their tractors, minivans and trucks. Their ongoing demands include enactment of legislation to ensure MSP and withdrawal of police cases against protestors during earlier protests.
In the last meeting on February 18, a group of three Union Ministers planned to purchase five crops (mong dal, urad dal, tur dal, maize and cotton) from the center for use at MSP. for a period of five years. However, the agreement did not sit well with the protesting protestors, who rejected the offer and returned to the protest site.
The upcoming march to Delhi is a symbol of protestors’ determination to defend their rights and advocate for meaningful changes in the region far from the city agriculture sector.
Their solidarity reflects a deep commitment to protecting livelihoods and ensuring the well-being of rural communities across the country. While peaceful protests continued, farmers remained steadfast in seeking justice and fairness from the government.
