'Delhi Chalo': Protesting Farmers Observe 'Black Friday' - Top Developments

The protesting farmers are observing a 'Black Friday' today after the death of a farmer at Khanauri Border crossing in Sangrur district, Punjab, during the ongoing protests.

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha will hold a tractor march on highways towards the national capital, BKU leader Rakesh Tikait said.

Here are the top developments:

• The Haryana Police has revoked the imposition of the National Security Act (NSA), 1980 against some union leaders of the Ambala district after announcing it late on Thursday night, officials told ANI.

• "This is to clarify to all concerned that the matter of invoking provisions of the National Security Act on a few farm union leaders of district Ambala has been reconsidered and it has been decided that the same will not be invoked," he said. The Police also appealed to farmers to cooperate with the authorities in maintaining law and order.
• Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday announced a compensation of Rs 1 crore and a government job for the sister of farmer Shubhkaran Singh who died at the Khanauri border point. The incident took place when some protesting farmers were trying to head towards barricades.
• Farmer leaders were demanding financial compensation for the kin of Singh and a government job for a member of his family, besides registration of a case against those who were responsible for his death. They had also demanded "martyr" status for Singh, who hailed from Ballo village in Bathinda.
• The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) are spearheading the 'Delhi Chalo' march to press the government to accept their demands, including a legal guarantee of MSP for crops and a farm loan waiver. Farmer 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 and had also said that they would decide their next course of action on Friday evening.
• Thousands of farmers remain camped at Khanauri and Shambhu with their tractor-trolleys and trucks agitating for their demands, including a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) for crops and farm debt waiver.
• The Punjab farmers are also demanding the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations, pension for farmers and farm labourers, no hike in electricity tariff, withdrawal of police cases and "justice" for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence, reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, and compensation to the families of the farmers who died during a previous agitation in 2020-21.

• Haryana Police has said that it will seize the assets of farmers caused damages to public property during their protest.
• The Congress has urged the Centre to convene a special session of Parliament to bring legislation on the minimum support price (MSP) for crops, a key demand of protesting farmers.