'Delhi Chalo' On Hold, Candle March, Effigy Burning Planned: Farmer Death Sparks Fresh Protests | 10 Points

Protesting farmers on Friday declared to hold the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march after the alleged death of a 21-year-old farmer, Subhkaran Singh, during the clashes at the Khanauri on the Sangrur-Jind border. In the wake of the situation, the protesters will conduct a candle march this evening. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), the leading farmer groups spearheading the protest at the Shambu and Khanuari borders, announced that they will determine their next course of action on February 29.   

The protest began on February 13, and despite four rounds of discussions involving farm leaders, the central government, and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, the talks have not succeeded in resolving the deadlock between the government and the protesting farmers.  

Here are 10 latest developments on the farmers' protest: 

1. Sarwan Singh Pandher, a farmers' leader, outlined the schedule for the next two days while the protest is on hold. Farmers will participate in a candle march this evening. Meanwhile, seminars will be conducted addressing farmers' issues on Sunday, followed by the burning of effigies representing the World Trade Organisation and the central government on Monday.  

2. Farmer’s burned effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other ministers in the central government on Friday. Protesters from Punjab wore black cloth over their turbans while hoisting black flags on their tractors and trolleys.  

3. Amid the demand for a government job and financial assistance for the sister of the deceased farmer, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann Singh has announced a compensation of Rs 1 crore and a government job. While expressing condolences for Singh’s death, CM assured that strict action would be taken against those responsible.  

4. A plea has been submitted to the Supreme Court urging the Indian government to address the reasonable demands of farmers engaged in peaceful protests. The plea seeks Supreme Court direction to halt violence against protestors, remove barricades, and implement the Swaminathan committee's recommendations. It also calls for unblocking social media accounts, preserving free speech, and registering FIRs against government actions hindering peaceful protests.  

5. The Haryana Police announced the withdrawal of their earlier decision to invoke provisions of the National Security Act against some farmer leaders involved in the ongoing agitation.  

6. Another farmer, 62-year-old Darshan Singh, from Amargarh village in Bathinda district, passed away from a heart attack during the 'Delhi Chalo' agitation at Khanauri on the Punjab-Haryana border, as confirmed by farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher.   

7. Including the death of Darshan Singh, a 72-year-old, and a 63-year-old who also succumbed to heart attacks during the ongoing protest, along with a 21-year-old, Subhkaran Singh, who died in clashes between Haryana Police and Punjab farmers.  

8. Rashtriya Lok Dal chief Jayant Chaudhary urged patience from farmers protesting for the minimum support price, expressing sorrow at the death of the young farmer during the clashes at the Khanauri border of Punjab and Haryana.  

9. Highlighting the steps taken for farmers' welfare and the provision of a minimum support price for 14 crops, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has announced a waiver of interest and penalty on certain crop loans and no tax hike in the ₹1.89-lakh-crore budget for 2024–25.  

10. Apart from legal guarantees of minimum support price (MSP) for crops and a farm loan waiver, the protesting farmers demand the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations, pension for farmers and farm labourers, no increase in electricity tariff, withdrawal of police cases, "justice" for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence, reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, and compensation for the families of farmers who died during a previous agitation in 2020–21.