On February 17, 2024, farmer organizations in both Haryana and Punjab took action in ongoing protests in support of farmers’ demands. The Bhartiya Kisan Union (Charuni) led by Gurnam Singh Charuni, organized tractor marches throughout Haryana, including locations such as Kurukshetra, Yamunanagar, and Sirsa. A label of urgency was placed on their actions as they planned for a ‘mahapanchayat’ on the following day to decide further strategies.
In a simultaneous display of solidarity, the BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) conducted dharnas outside politicians’ homes in Punjab, making their presence and grievances felt outside the residences of persons such as the former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh in Patiala and other senior BJP leaders.
Rakesh Tikait of the BKU announced additional protests poised for February 21, targeting states such as Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, and Uttarakhand. Correspondingly, Sarwan Singh Pandher appealed for an ordinance to ensure a legal guarantee on the minimum support price (MSP) for crops, arguing the government’s capacity for immediate action if so desired.
These events are under the scrutiny of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, who has vowed to amp up the movement in the days to come. They emphasize this the day prior to a scheduled fourth round of discussions with Union Ministers, focused on the farmer leaders’ array of demands.
On the ground in Haryana, the Police chief Shatrujeet Kapur warned that strict measures would be taken against those disturbing the peace. This statement followed his visit to the Data Singhwala-Khanauri border point, a significant site where farmers’ marches were halted, leading to standstills and tensions between protesters and security personnel over the past five days.
Kapur’s visit entailed a strategic meeting with police officers to address the situation and to ensure that the officers were well-informed of the directives necessary to maintain order while dealing with the ongoing protests.