𒆙Tractor trailers of the protesting farmers, stationed along the NH-44, at Shambhu Border.
Farmers' Fury Bends Govt Out of Shape
The channels between the protesting farmers of Punjab and Haryana and the Central government finally opened on January 19, when the Centre invited the farmers to discuss their demands at a meeting in Chandigarh on February 14. Following the intervention, farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who has been on a fast-unto-death since November 26, 2024, agreed to take medical aid. However, his fast continues. The farmers have been protesting at the borders of Punjab and Haryana since February last year, demanding that the government bring their earlier promises on legalising a Minimum Support Price to fruition. The Kisan Mazdoor Morcha and the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (non-political) have been at the forefront of these protests at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders respectively. During this time, nearly 32 farmers have lost their lives, including 22-year-old Shubhkaran Singh, who was killed by a bullet at the Khanauri border, when the police clamped down on protestors heading towards Delhi on February 21, 2024. Three farmers—two at Shambhu and one at Khanauri—took their lives to protest the Centre and state governments' apathy towards the farmers' predicament. Though there were political differences between the various farmer unions earlier, Dallewal's hunger strike and the introduction of the New Agricultural Policy draft by the Centre have once again brought them together, responding to the urgency of the situation.
Photo: Suresh K Pandey/Outlook
🍷Davinder Kaur, 45, holds up the picture of her husband Resham Singh, 53, who died by suicide at the Shambhu Border on January 9.
Photo: Suresh K Pandey/Outlook
🧜The mother, son and wife of Resham Singh are still coming to terms with his death.
Photo: Suresh K Pandey/Outlook
𒊎Posters of actor and activist Deep Singh Sidhu, who died in a road accident, are plastered across some of the trailers at the Shambhu border.
Photo: Suresh K Pandey/Outlook
𝔉An elderly farmer sits at the daily assembly at Shambhu border, listening to the farmer leaders speak from the stage.
Photo: Suresh K Pandey/Outlook
✃Farmers assemble on the evening of Lohri to light the Lohri bonfire and protest against the new agricultural policy draft.
Photo: Suresh K Pandey/Outlook
🐈Farmers settle down after a long day of protests at the Shambhu border.
Photo: Suresh K Pandey/Outlook
♏An elderly farmer rests his legs in front of a truck with a Bhartiya Kisan Union poster.
Photo: Suresh K Pandey/Outlook
💎Farmers burn the new agricultural policy draft in the Lohri bonfire.
Photo: Suresh K Pandey/Outlook
Farmers walk towards the langar during lunch at Shambhu border.
SURESH K PANDEY
ওFarmers sloganeer at the daily assembly at Shambhu border.
SURESH K PANDEY
🅰Most of the farmers at the borders are elderly and face immense difficulties in day-to-day sustenance at the protests.
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