Dozens of Farmers Have Been Injured in Less Than 10 Days

December 15, 2024

Fifteen more farmers were injured on Dec. 14 at the Shambhu border after Haryana police deployed tear gas against protesters who were attempting to move toward the capital city as part of their “Dilli Chalo” march, held in support of their longstanding agricultural demands.

The group of 101 farmers had previously suspended their efforts to reach Delhi on foot after authorities in Haryana used tear gas shells and water cannons during multiple attempts in recent days.

When protesters resumed their march on Dec. 14, they were hit with tear gas shells, resulting in injuries to 17 farmers, according to The Tribune.

Farmer representatives accused security forces of using harsh methods against peaceful demonstrators.

One leader, Sarwan Singh Pandher, was quoted as saying that “expired” tear gas shells and polluted water were deployed against protesters. Pandher further alleged that rubber bullets may have been used and that there were suspicions of long-range acoustic devices being employed to disperse farmers.

Local police officials, however, have refuted claims of any chemical use in water cannons.

A farmer, identified as 55-year-old Jodh Singh, attempted to end his life by consuming poison on Dec. 14, allegedly prompted by the crackdown against the demonstrators by local police and paramilitary forces. He was taken to a hospital for medical care.

In their previous attempt to enter Delhi on foot to voice their demands on Dec. 8, at least eight farmers sustained injuries when Haryana police discharged tear gas shells at the protesters. On Dec. 6, at least 15 farmers were injured during a similar crackdown at the Shambhu border, where police reportedly used rubber bullets alongside tear gas.

Farmer union leaders have announced a planned “tractor march” in other states on Dec. 16, followed by a “rail roko” protest in Punjab on Dec. 18, from noon to 3 p.m.

The farmers’ demands include a legally guaranteed Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops, along with debt waivers and pensions for agricultural workers. They are also seeking the withdrawal of police cases filed against protest participants and justice for victims of a 2021 incident in Lakhimpur Kheri, where farmers and a journalist lost their lives after being struck by a vehicle.

Farmer leaders have questioned the reasoning behind the security measures taken against a relatively small contingent of protesters. “How can 101 individuals walking peacefully, pose a threat to peace and order?” IANS quoted Pandher as saying. He also questioned the apparent discrepancy between constitutional debates in the Parliament and what he described as a differing legal environment faced by farmers at state borders.

Pandher also expressed concern about a farmer leader who has reportedly been on an indefinite hunger strike for over two weeks. “His condition is critical,” he said.

Speaking to The Indian Express earlier, Pandher explained that uncertainty in procurement prices discourages farmers from diversifying their crops, which in one state contributed to a historic low in cotton cultivation. For instance, limited procurement by the Cotton Corporation of India made conditions more precarious for those who had ventured into alternative crops.

Farmers have engaged in multiple rounds of talks with Union Ministers and the Chief Minister of Punjab, but the government’s offer—limited to five specific crops over a five-year window—was rejected by unions who seek permanent, legally binding assurances.