Farmers Delhi march: Haryana shuts down mobile internet, bulk SMS in Ambala from December 6-9

Farmers Delhi march: As farmers prepare to begin their Dilli Chalo March from Haryana today, mobile internet has been shut down in several villages in Ambala district from December 6 to December 9, reported PTI on Friday. Additionally, the bulk SMS services will also remain shut.

The Ambala district administration has also restricted the assembly of five or more persons in the district, according to an order issued under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).

Farmers protest to begin today

A ‘jatha’ (group) of 101 farmers was expected to embark on a foot march to Delhi at 1 pm on Friday from their protest site at the Shambhu border on the Punjab and Haryana border.

Why are farmers protesting?

The farmers are marching to force the Centre for a legal guarantee for minimum support price for crops. A heavy deployment of security personnel has been made on the Haryana side of the border.

The deputy commissioner has directed that no procession on foot, vehicles, or other modes will be allowed till further orders.

School holiday in Ambala

Ambala authorities ordered closure of all government and private schools in the district. “The government and private schools will remain closed on Friday,” District Education Officer Ambala Suresh Kumar said.

A multilayered barricading is already in place at the Shambhu border point Rajpura (Punjab)-Ambala (Haryana) on National Highway-44.

Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher termed the 101 farmers who will begin the march ‘marjeevras’, someone willing to die for a cause. Pandher, who said the march would be carried out in a “peaceful manner,” slammed the Haryana administration prohibiting the foot march, despite his promising farmers will not take any tractor-trolley with them.

Punjab Minister and AAP State president Aman Arora on Friday said the Centre must listen to the farmers. He also wondered why must the government stop the farmers when they would be marching on foot in a peaceful manner.

“It was said that farmers can march on foot, but now Haryana authorities have issued prohibitory orders and barred that too,” Arora said.

He said the Centre in the past did not pay heed to the Punjab government’s efforts in resolving farmers’ issues. “Such step motherly treatment is not justified and Centre must sit and resolve the issue by sitting across the table with farmers… If peaceful protest march is stopped by the Centre or Haryana police, then chances of conflict and confrontation will increase,” Arora said.