Thousands of farmers from Karnal have reached Singhu border: SKM

New Delhi, May 23  

Thousands of farmers from Haryana’s Karnal and nearby areas reached the Singhu border here on Sunday to join the ongoing protest against the Centre’s three farm laws, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) said.

Farmers are “constantly returning” to Delhi borders after the harvesting season, the umbrella body of over 40 farmer unions that is spearheading the protest said in a statement.

The SKM also announced that its members will gherao the Hisar commissioner’s office on Monday to demand registration of a case against Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and police personnel who “attacked” farmers earlier this month in the district.

Scores of farmers have been camping at Delhi’s borders since November last year demanding that the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; Farmers’ (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 be rolled back and a new law made to guarantee minimum support price (MSP) for crops.

“Today, thousands of farmers reached the Singhu border in different vehicles. This convoy of farmers from Karnal and nearby areas reached the Singhu border under the leadership of farmer leader Gurnam Singh Chadhuni,” the SKM said.

“Farmers, who had gone to villages for the harvesting season, are now returning to the protest sites. The farmers are enthusiastic and will end the movement only when their demands are met,” it said.

The farmers also organised a “tiranga march” at the Ghazipur border, it said.

The protesting farmers will celebrate the birth anniversary of freedom fighter Kartar Singh Sarabha on Monday, the SKM said.

“Kartar Singh Sarabha sacrificed himself for the country and society at an early age. This movement considers him an idol for struggle,” it said.

The SKM said its members will gherao the Hisar commissioner’s office on Monday “to demand registration of a police case against Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and police personnel who violently attacked the farmers”.

On May 16, the Hisar police lobbed tear gas shells and used force to disperse a group of farmers who tried to march towards the venue for the inaugural event of a Covid hospital where Khattar was present.

Farmers claimed that over 50 of them sustained injuries in what they alleged was a police lathicharge. An official spokesperson said over 20 police personnel, including a DSP, were also injured. PTI