‘Dilli Chalo’ march: Tear gas, water cannon used against protesting farmers at Shambhu border

Sat Dec 14 06:09:11 UTC 2024: **Haryana Police Use Force to Disperse Farmers’ Delhi March**

Patiala, Punjab – December 14, 2024 – Haryana police used tear gas and water cannons today to disperse a group of approximately 101 farmers and farm laborers attempting to march to Delhi from the Shambhu-Ambala border. The farmers, part of the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) and Samyukta Kisan Morcha, had been staging a sit-in at the border since February 13th, demanding a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for their crops and farm loan waivers.

The march, dubbed “Delhi Chalo,” was met with resistance as farmers attempted to breach police barricades. Over a dozen protesters sustained injuries, prompting a suspension of the march for the day. KMM coordinator Sarwan Singh Pandher alleged that police used water cannons filled with chemicals, a claim denied by Ambala cantonment Deputy Superintendent of Police Rajat Gulia.

This was the third attempt by the farmers to resume their march to the capital since December 6th. Pandher announced plans for a nationwide tractor march on December 16th and railway track blockades in Punjab on December 18th, expressing frustration over the government’s response and lack of support from opposition parties. The farmers’ demands remain unmet.