Samyukta Kisan Morcha to hold tractor march on 26 Feb

After discussing the situation at the interstate borders between Punjab and Haryana where thousands of farmers have been camping for over a week, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella organisation of the farmers' organisations, on Thursday, 22 February announced a series of protests, including a ‘mahapanchayat’ in Delhi on 14 March.

It demanded registration of a murder case against Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Home Minister Anil Vij over the death of a man during the farmers’ agitation a day earlier and a compensation of Rs 1 crore for the deceased.

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait told the media after the coordination committee meeting of the SKM said on Friday, 23 February a ‘black day’ for non-implementation of their demands, comprising the law guaranteeing the minimum support price (MSP) of crops, would be observed across the country.

“We demand registration of a murder case under Section 320 (of the IPC) against the Haryana CM and the Home Minister and the death of a protestor would be judicially probed,” he said.

Accompanying farmer leaders from across the country, Tikait said on 26 February a tractor march would be carried out across the country on one side of national highways. “One side of all the highways will be allowed for the commuters to use. We will ply tractors only on the one side.”

On 14 March, a ‘mahapanchayat’ would be held in Delhi for the next course of action.

Farmers leaders on Wednesday put the 'Delhi Chalo' march on hold for two days after a protester was killed and about 12 police personnel injured in clashes at Khanauri border, one of the two protest sites on the Punjab-Haryana border.