Shambu Border, 16 January 2025: A group of 101 farmers will restart their march to Delhi on January 21 from the Shambhu border between Punjab and Haryana to press for a legal guarantee on minimum support prices (MSP) for crops and other demands, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher announced Thursday.
This decision was taken amid heightened protests near the Khanauri and Shambhu border points, where farmers have been camping for the past 11 months.
On January 15, 111 farmers began a fast-unto-death at Khanauri in support of Jagjit Singh Dallewal, the convener of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political), whose hunger strike entered its 52nd day on Thursday.
Pandher, representing the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), accused the Central Government of refusing to engage with protesting farmers. “Both forums (SKM-Non Political, KMM) today decided that the ‘jatha’ of 101 farmers will resume their march to Delhi on January 21.
The government is not ready for any talks, so we’ve resolved to intensify the agitation,” he said.
The 101-member “jatha” has already made three unsuccessful attempts to reach Delhi—on December 6, 8, and 14 of last year—facing barricades and resistance from paramilitary forces and Haryana Police deployed along the Ghaggar River bridge.
Previous clashes left over 50 farmers injured, with one farmer attempting suicide by consuming poison during the December 14 standoff.
Dallewal’s health continues to deteriorate due to his indefinite hunger strike at the Khanauri border since November 26. Protesters have voiced concerns over his condition, warning of “multiple organ failure.”
In solidarity, the latest group of fasting farmers has vowed not to relent until their demands are met.
Authorities in Haryana have responded by bolstering security at the border and invoking Section 163 of the Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, prohibiting gatherings of more than five people.
Farmers, under the banners of SKM (Non-Political) and KMM, have camped at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders since February 13 last year after being blocked from marching to Delhi. Their demands include not only a legal guarantee for MSP but also broader agricultural reforms.