Schools closed today in Ambala amid farmers' ‘Dilli chalo march’

Due to the farmers' 'Dilli Chalo March,' all government and private schools in the Ambala district will be closed today, December 6, according to reports.

On November 5, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said that a 'jatha' of 101 farmers will embark on a foot march to Delhi at 1 pm on Friday from the Shambhu border protest site. The Ambala district administration has issued an order under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), restricting any unlawful assembly of five or more persons in the district.

Additionally, the central paramilitary forces have also been deployed on the Haryana side of the border along with multi-layer barricading. The Ambala administration also urged the farmers to reconsider their march and seek permission from the Delhi Police before taking any further action.

While speaking to ANI, Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said, “The march has entered its 297th day and the indefinite hunger strike at the Khanauri border has entered its 11th day. At 1 pm, a 'jatha' of 101 farmers will move towards Delhi from the Shambhu Border...”

On Thursday, police officials reported that 34 farmers were detained for attempting to hold a protest at the Rashtriya Dalit Prerna Sthal in Noida without prior permission. The farmers were on their way from Zero Point when they were detained, ANI reported.

PM Modi has put farmers' issues at centre stage

Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has put farmers issues at the centre stage. Speaking in the Upper House, he stressed that the issues of farmers have been put at the "centre stage" by the prime minister in every walk of life, be it providing affordable housing, solar power, 'Jal in Har Nal', and technology to farmers.

What are farmers demanding?

Farmers, gathered under the banner of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, had earlier announced a foot march to the national capital seeking a legal guarantee for minimum support price of crops, and over their several other demands. Besides the MSP, farmers are demanding a farm debt waiver, pension for farmers and farm labourers, no hike in electricity tariff, withdrawal of police cases and "justice" for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

Reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, and compensation to the families of the farmers who died during a previous agitation in 2020-21, are also two of their demands.