2 Injured as tear gas fired at farmers marching to Delhi

Mangalore Today /ndtv

New Delhi,December 06, 2024: Tear gas was fired at farmers gathered at Shambhu on the Haryana-Punjab border Friday afternoon during their ’Dilli chalo’ march to press home various demands, including a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price, or MSP, waiver of farm loan debts, and protection from increased power tariffs.

Two farmers were injured in the violence. Visuals shared by news agency IANS showed chaotic scenes at a police barricade across National Highway 44. In the 73-second video white smoke from tear gas canisters enveloped protesting farmers.

As the video pans out, rolls of barbed wire can also be seen and the gassed farmers are seen pulling back from the barricade. An elderly farmer, affected by the tear gas, is attended to by fellow-protesters.

Shortly before the farmers began their march, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan told Parliament the Narendra Modi government is committed to purchasing ’ produce at MSP.

"I want to assure the House... all produce of farmers will be purchased at Minimum Support Price. This is the Modi government and (we will) fulfil Modiji’s guarantee," Mr Chouhan said, also taking the opportunity for a dig at the Congress, referring to his "friends from the other side".

"...they said, on record, they cannot accept the MS Swaminathan Commission recommendations... especially on paying 50 per cent more than cost price," he said, declaring the government is already buying paddy, wheat, jowar, soyabean at 50 per cent over cost of production from three years ago.

Over 100 farmers set out for today’s march, but ran immediately into multi-layered police barricades on National Highway 44, triggering a tense stand-off. Visuals shared by news agency ANI showed a small army of farmers waving flags and chanting slogans, gathering in front of metal police barriers.

In another video a group of farmers, some waving the national flag, have broken past one layer of barriers - a yellow police fence lies dented on the road - and amass outside the barrier across the road.