Farmers camping at the Shambhu border between Punjab and Haryana will observe “Prarthna Diwas Ardas Dihada” on Wednesday as part of their continued agitation. The farmers are demanding a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP) and loan waivers, along with other key issues affecting the farming community.
Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher announced that the observance of “Prarthna Diwas Ardas Dihada” will take place at the Shambhu Border on Wednesday, urging the nation to join in prayer for the success of the protest. He also confirmed that a group of 101 farmers will resume their march toward Delhi on Saturday, December 14. Pandher emphasized that the protest is a peaceful demonstration, and farmers are determined to highlight their demands.”
We are celebrating Prarthna Diwas Ardas Dihada at the border tomorrow and inviting the entire country to pray for the success of this march. A group of 101 farmers will march toward Delhi from Shambhu Border on December 14,” Pandher said.
The group had planned to enter Delhi on December 6 but was forced to halt the march after police fired tear gas. The “Dilli Chalo” protest resumed on December 8 but was again stopped for similar reasons.
Pandher also criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Haryana, where he did not address the concerns of farmers. “The Prime Minister was in Haryana but failed to speak about the farmers. The Modi government is proud of its power but does not want to engage in dialogue with the farmers. If they have done something for agriculture, they should speak up,” Pandher stated.
During his visit to Haryana, PM Modi unveiled the LIC Bima Sakhi Yojana, a financial empowerment initiative aimed at women. He also laid the foundation stone for the Main Campus of Maharana Pratap Horticultural University in Karnal.
In response, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar criticized the opposition parties, particularly the Congress, regarding their stance on MSP. CM Khattar pointed out that Congress governments in Himachal Pradesh and Telangana had failed to procure crops at MSP. “In the last 10 years, we have bought crops at MSP. The Congress governments in Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, and Telangana have not fulfilled their promises. The people have understood their reality,” Khattar stated.
In addition to the MSP issue, protesting farmers are demanding loan waivers, pensions for farmers and farm laborers, no increase in electricity tariffs, the withdrawal of police cases against farmers, and justice for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence.
Opposition leaders have continued to criticize the government’s handling of the situation, raising concerns about issues such as fertilizer shortages and the ongoing struggle for fair MSP rates. The protest continues to gain momentum as farmers push for a resolution to their long-standing demands.
