Farm unions to finalise modalities of Delhi march today

Rope in other state units, plan fast, gherao of BJP leaders

The Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (non-political) will hold a national-level meeting with members of the union from other states at Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib in Delhi on Friday to discuss the modalities of their march to Delhi on December 6. After the meeting, both the unions —Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) — will announce the blueprint of the protests.

The protest march will start from the Shambhu protest site on December 6, before which, Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (non-political) convener Jagjeet Singh Dallewal will start fast unto death from November 26 at Khanouri border.

Additionally, the farmers will start gherao of BJP leaders in Punjab during public appearances in the run up to the scheduled march to Delhi.

Both the protesting farmer unions have been staying put on the Punjab and Haryana borders since February 13.

KMM convener Sarwan Singh Pandher, while talking to HT, said, “We have already started preparations and have decided which union leaders would lead the protest march to Delhi on December 6,” said Pandher.

Pandher added that they will march peacefully towards the national capital via the same national highway – where Haryana Police had blocked with the concrete walls.

The union leaders had received backlash from farmers and people of Punjab at large for putting youngsters on the fore to march to Delhi. On February 21, a youngster, who was identified as Shubh Karan Singh, had died of firearm injury to his head at Khanouri border.

KMM leaders – when asked about their request for designated place in the national capital to hold peaceful protest – said that they had earlier applied for a designated place in February, but there was no response from Delhi Police. “Our earlier application has not been rejected or accepted by Delhi Police, therefore, there is no point of applying for fresh application,” said one of the KMM leaders.