Tear Gas Fired At Farmers As Tensions Escalate In 'Dilli Chalo' March For MSP, Loan Waivers

Tear gas was fired at farmers gathered at Shambhu on the Haryana-Punjab border on Friday afternoon during their 'Dilli Chalo' march, as they sought to press various demands, including a legal guarantee for the Minimum Support Price (MSP), loan debt waivers, and protection from rising power tariffs.

Visuals shared by news agency IANS captured chaotic scenes at a police barricade across National Highway 44. In the 73-second video, white smoke from tear gas canisters engulfed the protesting farmers. As the video unfolds, rolls of barbed wire are seen, and the farmers affected by the tear gas are shown retreating from the barricade. An elderly farmer, struggling with the effects of the tear gas, is attended to by fellow protestors.

Just before the march began, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan assured Parliament that the Modi government was committed to purchasing farmers' produce at MSP.

"I want to assure the House... all produce of farmers will be purchased at Minimum Support Price. This is the Modi government, and we will fulfil Modiji's guarantee," Chouhan said, also taking a swipe at Congress by mentioning his "friends from the other side."

"...they said, on record, they cannot accept the MS Swaminathan Commission recommendations, especially on paying 50 per cent more than the cost price," he said, adding that the government was already purchasing paddy, wheat, jowar, and soyabean at 50 per cent over the production cost from three years ago.

Over 100 farmers began their march, but immediately ran into multi-layered police barricades on National Highway 44, which led to a tense standoff. Visuals shared by ANI showed a group of farmers waving flags and chanting slogans as they gathered in front of metal police barriers.

In another video, a group of farmers, some holding the national flag, managed to break through one layer of barriers. A yellow police fence lay crumpled on the road as they gathered outside another barricade.

Shortly before the march, mobile internet and bulk message services were suspended until December 9 in parts of Ambala district. District authorities had already issued orders banning gatherings of five or more people and ordered both government and private schools to remain closed for the day.

The protest aimed to highlight farmers' longstanding demands, including a legal guarantee for MSP, loan waivers, and protection from increased electricity tariffs.

The call for a legal guarantee for MSP - a price set by the government to protect farmers from a drastic drop in crop prices, such as during a bumper harvest - has been a central issue in protests that started in September 2020. However, MSPs currently lack legal backing, meaning the government is not obliged to purchase a fixed percentage of a farmer's crop at the minimum price, which is what the farmers are demanding to be changed.

These ongoing protests, as with previous ones, have also taken on a distinctly political tone, with the opposition supporting their demands. Farmers claim that their cause has been further supported by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, who posed a pointed question to Chouhan.

On Tuesday, Dhankhar raised the farmers' issue and questioned the government.

"Agriculture Minister, every moment is important... please tell me, what was promised to farmers (and) why was the promise not fulfilled? What should we do to fulfil the promise?" he asked at a public event.

Congress MP Rajeev Shukla also criticised the government, accusing it of "going back on its word." "The government promised a legal guarantee of MSP but... this government doesn't do what it says... so farmers are agitated," he said.