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At least six farmers were injured when police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse them at the Haryana-Punjab border today. A group of 101 farmers resumed their 'Delhi chalo' foot march at noon, pressing the government for the fulfillment of their demands, including a legal guarantee for the Minimum Support Price (MSP).
Congress leader and wrestler, Bajrang Punia, joined the farmers at the Shambhu border. "On one hand the government is saying that we are not stopping the farmers, but on the other hand, they are using tear gas and other things. It is being treated as if it is the Pakistan border. When leaders go to Delhi to protest, do they take permission?" he said.
It is the third attempt by the protesting farmers to march towards the national capital since December 6. They were earlier not allowed to proceed by security personnel in Haryana on December 6 and December 8.
Ahead of their planned march today, the Haryana government suspended mobile internet and bulk SMS services in 12 villages of Ambala till December 17 to prevent the spread of misinformation. The order applies to the following villages - Dangdehri, Lehgarh, Manakpur, Dadiyana, Bari Ghel, Choti Ghel, Lharsa, Kalu Majra, Devi Nagar (Hira Nagar, Naresh Vihar), Saddopur, Sultanpur and Kakru.
Ahead of the planned march, Haryana security personnel put up a multi-layered barricading to prevent farmers from marching towards Delhi. The Ambala police had earlier said the farmers could march to Delhi only after getting permission from the Delhi administration.
The farmers have been protesting over various demands, which include a legal guarantee for the MSP, a farm debt waiver, pension for farmers, and no hike in electricity tariff. They are also demanding the withdrawal of police cases against farmers and "justice" for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence, besides reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013.
On the sidelines, farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal has been on a fast-unto-death at the Khanauri border for 19 days now. The Supreme Court bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan has directed the Centre and Punjab government representatives to meet Mr Dallewal and persuade him to break his fast.