Protesting is not uncommon in India; rather, it is encouraged by the law to uphold the nation’s democratic principles. Farmer protests in India are not new; they have existed since the time of British India.
Currently, where is the protest?
It is in Punjab’s Patiala district, where farmers squatted on the tracks on the Ambala-Ludhiana-Amritsar route on Wednesday.
On Saturday, 54 trains were canceled on the Ambala-Amritsar route following a farmer’s protest on the tracks at the Shambhu railway station in the district.
Farmers have been protesting in Patiala’s Shambhu under the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) banners.
Speaking about the protest, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said it would continue until the three farmers were released.
Why the protest?
Three farmers, including Navdeep Jalbera, Gurkirat Shahpur and Anish Khatkar, were arrested by the Haryana police during the ongoing farmers’ stir. The protest leader, Anish, was arrested on February 13 and was sent to Jind jail on March 19. The others were arrested on March 28, and they are in Ambala jail.
The protesters are demanding the release of the three farmers arrested.
Speaking about the protest, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said it would continue until the three farmers were released.
What is the ongoing stir?
Farmers have been protesting at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders since February 13 under the banner of the KMM and the SKM (non-political). They have been demanding a law to fix a minimum support price (MSP) for their crops and concessions, including the waiving of farm loans.
It was during the ‘Dilli Chalo’ march by farmers to press their demands that such an arrest was made. The Haryana security forces stopped their march to Delhi.
