Protesting farmers on Saturday called off their march to Delhi for the third time this month after nearly 17 of them were injured due to tear gas shells fired by the police at Shambhu, on the border between Punjab and Haryana, reported India Today.
“Haryana Police used heavy tear gas,” farmer leader Tejvir Singh told the news channel. “We will announce the next programme after an internal meeting.”
Earlier in the day, a group of 101 attempted to march to Delhi for the third time to press for a legal guarantee for minimum support price.
Farmers have been camping at Shambhu and Khanauri, on the inter-state border between Haryana and Punjab, in protest since February.
Along with the legal guarantee, they have also been demanding the implementation of the MS Swaminathan Commission’s wider recommendations for agricultural reform. The farmers have alleged that the Centre has not taken steps to address their demands, claiming that no talks have been held since February 18.
They had attempted to march towards Delhi on December 6 and December 8 but were stopped by the police.
As they announced their plan to resume their march on Saturday, authorities heightened security measures at the Shambhu border and barricades were put up.
The police stopped the march citing lack of permission. “If you want to go to Delhi, you should take proper permission and once you get the permission, we will allow you to go,” an unidentified Ambala Police official was quoted as saying by The Week.
The police also urged the farmers to hold off on their march until December 18, when the next meeting of a High Power Committee appointed by the Supreme Court will be held.
Mobile internet services were suspended in parts of Ambala from 6.00 am on Saturday until 11.59 pm on Sunday, according to ANI.
The order was enforced in Dangdehri, Lehgarh, Manakpur, Dadiyana, Bari Ghel, Choti Ghel, Lharsa, Kalu Majra, Devi Nagar (Hira Nagar, Naresh Vihar), Saddopur, Sultanpur and Kakru villages.
The Haryana government had earlier suspended mobile internet and bulk SMS services from December 6 to 9.
Also read: The farmers’ demand for an MSP law is linked to an environmental crisis. Here’s how
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