As winter descended on northern India, farmers who have been protesting since February last year, once again, took to the streets in a December marked by protest and persistence. At the Shambhu border and beyond, the agricultural community’s demands for minimum support prices and justice for farmers killed at protest sites, among other things, have sparked a month of dramatic confrontations, solidarity actions, and legal battles that have reverberated across multiple northern states.
December 6, 2024 — The First March by Farmers
A group of 101 farmers, backed by the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), attempted to march on foot from Shambhu border, in Patiala district’s Rajpura constituency, towards New Delhi. The march, or “jatha,” was part of a larger agitation by over 100 farmers’ unions, who have been protesting since February 13, 2024, over unfulfilled promises made by the government of India following the repeal of the three farm laws in 2021. Chief among their demands are a legally binding minimum support price (MSP) law for farm produce, justice for victims of the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, withdrawal of cases against protesters booked during the 2020-21 farmers’ movement, and pension and debt relief for farmers.
The Shambhu protest site, located about a kilometre off the Banur Road, had become a focal point of the agitation. Trolleys lined the path, some offering free meals—langar—to participants and visitors. The road split into two bridges, with barricades restricting movement to one side, while the Ghaggar River flowed below.
A multi-layered fortification had been constructed on the bridge. The first comprised tightly wound barbed wire crisscrossed over large metal frames. Behind this lay a line of reinforced metal barricades, followed by heavy concrete barriers, often referred to as “jersey barriers.” Further back, two large steel gates stood ready to block the road entirely. A raised platform manned by personnel from the Haryana Police, Rapid Action Force (RAF), and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) provided them with a vantage point to oversee the movement of farmers and media.
At 1 pm, the march began. Farmers dismantled the barricades one by one, while media crews documented each step. By 1:30, they had reached the final layer, where they engaged in dialogue with the Haryana Police and paramilitary forces stationed inside a protected area on the raised platform. According to the forces, the farmers did not have permission to proceed through the Shambhu-Ambala route to Delhi, as Section 163 of the BNSS Act had been imposed in Ambala—which empowers a magistrate to issue preventive and restrictive orders, similar to Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Farmer union leaders countered this, saying that the prime minister Narendra Modi had previously suggested that farmers should walk to Delhi for dialogue, and not drive tractors.
Moments later, as farmers attempted to pull down a metal sheet barrier, the first tear gas shell was fired. It landed just three feet from me, immediately causing breathlessness, coughing, and a burning sensation in the eyes and face. From 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm, the security forces fired multiple tear gas shells, and used pepper spray intermittently. Several media personnel present there said they were directly targeted. A female reporter was struck in the chest by a tear gas shell, resulting in shoulder pain and difficulty in breathing. She told me that she also saw another journalist being sprayed with pepper spray while questioning security forces. Several others reported burning sensations from the spray lingering in the air. The incidents were recognised by the Committee for Protection of Journalists (Asia), which called on authorities to respect the right of the press to report freely.
#India: CPJ is investigating disturbing reports that police have obstructed the press and fired tear gas against journalists covering the #FarmersProtests. We call on authorities to respect the media’s right to report freely and safely.
CPJ’s safety guide on covering civil… pic.twitter.com/DyGzxtmzox
— CPJ Asia (@CPJAsia) December 9, 2024
Among the injured farmers were Surjeet Singh Phul, the president of BKU (Krantikari), who was hit in the chest by a tear gas shell, and Harpreet Singh, a 28-year-old farmer from Gurdaspur associated with BKU (Behramke), who was rushed to the Rajindra Medical College and Hospital in Patiala. Six others were admitted to the Civil Hospital in Rajpura.
At around 3:30 pm, seeing the escalation of force and rising injuries, the KMM leader Sarwan Singh Pandher announced a withdrawal of the march for the day, with plans to resume on December 8.
By late evening, the unions took to social media to share photos and videos of a concert by the Punjabi artist Satinder Sartaaj, held in Ambala. While clarifying that they had no objection to the concert itself, they argued that the Haryana Police’s claim of imposing Section 163 was misleading and untrue.
December 7, 2024 — Police Issue Media Restrictions
The Haryana Police issued an urgent letter from the office of the Director General of Police (DGP) to the Punjab DGP. Signed by ADGP Sanjay Kumar, the letter instructed Punjab authorities to ensure that media personnel remain at least one kilometre away from the Shambhu protest site. The letter cited the “problems in handling the law and order” during the previous day’s march as the justification for the restriction.
December 8, 2024 — The Second March
At 12 PM, the farmers once again attempted to march to Delhi. This time, the process was marked by confusion over the identities of the 101 farmers authorised to march. Law enforcement personnel insisted on verifying the names against a list provided by the unions. Printouts of the list, signed by the KMM, were shown to the personnel, but tensions persisted. Media personnel were asked to verify their credentials, and the security personnel accused journalists of being imposters if they asked questions challenging the police narrative, particularly on the treatment of the media on the previous day.
As the farmers began walking, security personnel announced via loudspeakers that only those on the list would be allowed to proceed. Shortly after, they resumed the use of tear gas shells and pepper spray. The protest briefly shifted tone when the forces threw flowers at the farmers, a gesture captured and highlighted by certain media outlets. However, most reports missed the tear-gas shelling that happened minutes later. Further, farmers and media professionals told me that chemicals released in the air after the flower-throwing caused burning sensations.
The protesters alleged that the “flowers” were part of a larger attempt to obscure the use of tear gas and pepper spray. The security forces used water cannons on the protesters and allegedly used expired stun shells, aggravating the effects of the gas.
Eight to nine farmers were injured, including one referred to the PGI hospital in critical condition. Pandher once again announced the withdrawal of the march for the day, with a new attempt scheduled for December 14.
December 14, 2024 — The Third March
By December 14, the barricades at Shambhu had been reinforced. New layers of corrugated roofing sheets and wooden planks were erected upon the existing barrier. A water jet contraption had been installed on the roof of the raised and enclosed area manned by the forces at the end of barricades. Riot police equipped with helmets and gas masks were deployed inside the fortified area and over the barricade. Other personnel were seen collecting water from the river below.
As the farmers attempted to march, the escalation was immediate. The forces responded with water cannons, tear gas, pepper spray, and expired stun shells. The number of injured climbed to 17, significantly higher than on December 6 and 8. Fourteen of the injured were admitted to the Civil Hospital in Rajpura. One farmer, who sustained a chest injury from a tear gas shell, later presented two expired stun shells that had been fired at him. The gas caused breathing issues, skin burns, and eye irritation, with several people also complaining of chemical burns from the water used in the cannons. The Haryana Police denied the allegations of the use of chemicals, insisting that they only used “plain water.”
Among the more serious cases, a farmer from Haryana was admitted with a fractured foot, allegedly caused by a rubber bullet. Another farmer sustained eye injuries from a shell that struck his face and was transferred to a hospital in Patiala. Sukhwinder Kaur, the state general secretary of BKU (Krantikari), later revealed that a farmer had attempted to end his life by consuming Salfas, a pesticide, after being unable to bear the suffering of his fellow protesters. He was also referred to the Patiala hospital.
December 16, 2024
Farmers across several districts in Haryana, including Kaithal, Hisar, and Panipat, organised tractor marches to show solidarity with the Punjab farmers who have been protesting at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders since February 13, 2024. In Kaithal, farmers marched from the Kisan Chowk to the SDM office and submitted a memorandum seeking the prime minister’s intervention in the 11-month-long protest.
In Hisar, a tractor rally was held on the Delhi-Sirsa highway, which culminated in a memorandum submission at the Hansi mini-secretariat. In Panipat, farmers marched on the Panipat-Rohtak road, joined by wrestler and politician Bajrang Punia, demanding a legal guarantee for crops before submitting their demands to the SDM.
December 18, 2024
Farmers and laborers in Punjab organised a rail roko—blockade—protest against the agricultural policies of the BJP-led government, and to highlight the tragic death of a young farmer, Ranjodh Singh, who had consumed pesticide during the protest. The blockade was carried out at over 50 locations across 23 districts in Punjab.
Pandher stated that the rail roko received widespread support from various sections of the society, including farmers, laborers, women, youth, and small traders. Protesters raised several demands, including financial compensation of Rs 25 lakh for the deceased farmer’s family, complete waiver of farm debt, and a government job for one family member of the deceased.
December 23, 2024
Gurpreet Singh Sangha of the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (Rajasthan) and Kedar Sirohi of the Aam Kisan Union (Madhya Pradesh) participated in a public discussion at JNU on National Farmers’ Day, which also marks the birth anniversary of Chaudhary Charan Singh. They addressed the challenges faced by farmers and emphasized the critical need for implementing the MSP and eliminating corporate farming to safeguard farmers’ livelihoods.
December 24, 2024
A candle march was held in Anupgarh, Rajasthan, on December 24, from Shaheed Bhagat Singh Chowk to Bhimrao Ambedkar Chowk. Organised by the Grameen Kisan Mazdoor Samiti (GKS), the march supported farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal’s demand for an MSP Guarantee Act. The event saw significant participation from the district headquarters.
December 27, 2024
A one-day hunger strike was observed on December 27 in Kaithal, Jind, and Hisar districts of Haryana in solidarity with the ongoing farmers’ protest.
December 29, 2024
Khap panchayats held a Mahapanchayat in Hisar, Haryana, to address the pressing issues faced by the farming community. Pandher, who attended the gathering, emphasised concerns regarding the MSP and called for greater unity among farmer organizations. He urged the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) to collaborate with the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) and SKM (Non-Political), highlighting the alignment of their demands and the need for collective action.
The previous day, Darshan Pal Pardhan and Balbir Singh Rajewal of the SKM had told me that their organisation would not participate in the Mahapanchayat or the Punjab Bandh. Despite this, Pandher stressed the importance of solidarity and a unified approach to achieving the farmers’ goals at the Mahapanchayat.
December 30, 2024
A Punjab bandh organised by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha led to severe disruptions of railways, bus services, and road traffic across the state. Farmers blocked roads and railway tracks at various locations, including Patiala, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Ferozepur, Bathinda, Mohali, and Pathankot, staging dharnas from 7 am to 4 pm. A large gathering was seen at the Golden Gate entry point in Amritsar. More than 160 trains were cancelled due to the bandh, which was supported by transporters, employees, traders, and religious organisations. Pandher declared the bandh a success, emphasising its goal of pressuring the central government to address the farmers’ demands.
December 31, 2024
The Supreme Court granted the Punjab government additional time to comply with its directions regarding medical aid for Dallewal, who has been on a hunger strike since November 26. A vacation bench of Justices Surya Kant and Sudhanshu Dhulia postponed the hearing on the contempt petition against the Punjab Chief Secretary and DGP to January 2, 2024.
Gurminder Singh, Punjab’s advocate general, informed the court that the state’s efforts to ensure compliance included deploying 7,000 personnel at the protest site, but the Punjab bandh organised by farmer organisations caused traffic blockades and delays. Singh also shared the protesters’ proposal for Dallewal to accept medical aid if the central government invites them for discussions. However, the solicitor general Tushar Mehta stated he had no instructions on the matter. The court emphasised that its concern was solely with the compliance of its orders and required the virtual presence of the chief secretary and the DGP at the next hearing.
Dallewal, a cancer patient suffering from other age-related ailments, has been on a fast-unto-death at the Khanauri border, demanding a statutory guarantee for the MSP. The court had previously expressed dissatisfaction with Punjab’s compliance reports and raised concerns about the risks of collateral damage to lives and property if Dallewal were forcibly moved. The affidavits filed by Punjab authorities detailed the tense situation at the protest site, where farmers resisted Dallewal’s hospitalisation, and increasing calls were made for youth to join the agitation. While the Punjab government sought intervention from the union to diffuse the situation, the Centre, represented by Mehta, maintained that such interference could worsen the standoff.
January 2-6, 2025
While hearing the contempt plea on January 2, Supreme Court judge, Justice Surya Kant, made it clear that efforts to hospitalise Dallewal are not meant to derail his hunger strike. He slammed the Punjab government, saying they “deliberately” created such an impression in the media. On the other hand, Justice Ujjal Bhuyyan pulled up the Union government for not explicitly inviting discussion with the farmers.
In a session organised by the Punjab government, a demand was raised to pass a resolution in the Assembly to cancel the central government’s agricultural marketing policy, which privatises agricultural markets. The resolution also supported the 12 demands of the farmers movement.
In a 70-second video message released on January 3rd, Friday, Dallewal appealed to the people who are part of the struggle for a legal guarantee on the MSP, to “must reach Khanauri”. In a Mahapanchayat held at Khanauri border the next day, the farmers unions called for a nationwide protest on January 10.
On January 6th, Guru Gobind Singh’s birth anniversary was celebrated at the Shambhu border with a gathering and Diwans scheduled from 11 am to 2 pm. Meanwhile, Justice Nawab Singh, a retired Punjab and Haryana High Court judge who heads the SC-appointed panel to negotiate with the farmers, met Dallewal. The Supreme Court was informed of the same by the Punjab government. The contempt hearing was adjourned for January 10.
