Farmers' Protest 2.0 Saw Tear Gas, Stone Pelting, And Traffic Snarls. Is it Different From The 2020-21 Stir?

A bedlam was witnessed as tear gas was fired at protesting farmers at the Shambhu border between the state and neighbouring Punjab, on Tuesday (13 February). Visuals showed smoke bombs being dropped from drones by police and security personnel to disperse the farmers, as reported by NDTV.

Earlier, several farmers were detained and their vehicles were seized at the border by the Haryana police soon after the commencement of the "Delhi Chalo" march at 10 am on Teusday.

The roads have been hit by farmers from over 200 unions from Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh to press the Centre for their several demands, including a legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for all crops. The Delhi Chalo march comes after the inconclusive second meeting between farmer leaders and Union ministers on Monday evening.

Leadership of the 'Dilli Chalo' March

The latest protests are being spearheaded by different farmer unions compared to those leading the agitation in 2020-21.

The 'Dilli Chalo' march has been called by over 250 farmers' unions under the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) umbrella, which reportedly includes about 100 unions, and the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political), comprising 150 unions, as per reports by Indian Express.

Following the repeal of the Centre's three agricultural laws in December 2021, numerous farm groups experienced internal disputes after farmers returned home from Delhi borders. This led to a reduction in the number of active farmer organizations to 50, a significant increase from the 32 that united in November 2020 to oppose the Centre's farm laws, according to a report by Times of India (TOI).

Differences Between Current and 2020-21 Protests

The 2020-21 agitation was led by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), a coalition of over 500 farmer unions in India. However, this organization is not involved in the 2024 farmers' protest, as the original SKM splintered into several groups in 2022. While the SKM is not part of the Delhi Chalo march, it has called for its own Grameen Bharat bandh on 16 February.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political), one of the two forums leading the ongoing protests, is a faction of the SKM, led by Jagjit Singh Dallewal, president of the Punjab-based Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) Sidhupur farm union, as noted by Indian Express.

The KMM, the other organization leading the current stir, was established by Sarwan Singh Pandher, convener of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC). The KMSC, a Punjab-based union, was not part of the main 2020-21 protests but erected a separate stage at the Delhi border at Kundli, as reported by Indian Express.

Prominent Figures and Participation

Leaders like Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait and Bhartiya Kisan Union (Charuni) president Gurnam Singh Charuni, who played significant roles in the 2020-21 agitation, are not participating in the current protest, according to Mint.

Current Demands of the Farmers

The farm unions have various demands, including a legal guarantee for MSP for all crops, determining crop prices based on the Dr MS Swaminathan Commission's report, full debt waiver for farmers and laborers, justice for the victims of the October 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri killings, compensation for farmers who died during the 2020-21 protest, pensions for farmers and laborers, withdrawal of cases against protestors of the 2020-21 stir, among others.

Heightened Security Measures and Government Response

Delhi has been fortified as farmers from northern states march towards the National Capital. Prohibitory orders under Section 144 have been imposed at Ghazipur, Singhu, and Tikri borders, with barriers such as barbed wires and cement barricades erected to prevent farmers from reaching Delhi.

The Haryana government began closing its borders with Punjab on 8 February, setting up barricades at various points. Additionally, a 12-layer barricade has been erected at the Shambhu Barrier on National Highway 1 leading to Delhi.

Internet services have been suspended in several districts of Haryana, and Rajasthan has sealed its borders with Punjab and Haryana, imposing prohibitory orders in specific districts.

Negotiations between the Centre and farmers began before the march started, with a meeting held on 8 February, coordinated by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. However, the second meeting on Monday evening resulted in a stalemate, with Mann notably absent.