Farmers agitating to press their demand for higher prices for their crops will stay put at the two interstate border points till February 29 when the next course of action will be decided, their leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said on Friday. The decision to camp at the two protest sites – Shambhu and Khanauri – was taken by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), which are spearheading the ongoing agitation.
Kisan Mazdoor Morcha leader Pandher said a candle march will be held on February 24, seminars will be organised on issues related to farmers on February 25, effigies of the World Trade Organization and the Centre will be burnt on February 26, and several meetings of SKM (Non-Political) and KMM will be held over the next two days.
Farmers burned effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other ministers in his government on Friday as they sought to expand their protest. Black flags were hoisted on tractors and trolleys lined up at the protest site on Friday. Several protesters, most of whom are Sikhs from Punjab, also tied black cloth over their turbans in solidarity.
Thousands of farmers began a ‘Delhi Chalo’ march last week but were stopped by security forces about 200 km north of the capital. The death of a farmer in clashes with security forces galvanised the protest, with Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), which had till then stayed away, joining the stir. The farmer leaders said that the body of the slain farmer Shubhkaran will not be cremated until the Punjab government registers an FIR.
The farmer leaders announced that they will hold another meeting on February 29 to decide the next step in the Dilli Chalo march. Until then, the protesters will stay at the border and will hold multiple events there, including protest marches, effigy burning, and seminars.
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