Farmers marching to Delhi declare 'ceasefire' after daylong clashes with police, says 'will try again tomorrow'

For Delhi and its neighbouring states, it was a flashback to 2020-21 as thousands of farmers tried to make their way toward the national capital, facing off with the police at practically every state border.

The Haryana police left no stones unturned to stop them from entering the state, throwing all they had at the protesters including drones carrying tear gas canisters, water cannons, cement barriers, sandbags, and tyre deflators.

Police fired tear gas to disperse the crowd as thousands of farmers gathered at the Punjab-Haryana Shambhu border in the second leg of their protests against the central government.

Farmers tried to break the barricade at the Shambhu border, after which the Haryana police fired tear gas shells and a stampede broke out among the people.

Countering the tear gas, youngsters with wet clothes tried to reach the border to remove cement barricades that were in place.

Clashes between the farmers and police started after the peasants tried to break the barricade and cross the heavy security which was in place at Punjab-Haryana border.

The farmers told the media that they are ready for a long haul and come armed with six months' worth of rations and diesel.

"We didn't budge through the 13 months last time. We were promised our demands would be met, but the government didn't keep its promise. This time, we will leave only after all our demands are met," a farmer said.

"It is ceasefire for today and we will try again tomorrow morning," said a farmer leader.

In the national capital, massive deployment of police and paramilitary personnel, besides multi-layered barricading have been made to seal the city at Singhu, Tikri, and Ghazipur.

"The talks did not lead to any result. We will start our march to Delhi at 10 am. We will, however, discuss the proposals given by the government in our forum. The government is clearly at fault here," a farmer leader told reporters after the meeting ended.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police earlier in the day imposed Section 144 under CrPC across the national capital until March 12, effective from Monday, to maintain public order and tranquillity.

The farmers are demanding a law that guarantees them a Minimum Support Price (MSP) for all crops, a farm loan waiver, and the implementation of Swaminathan Commission recommendations.

The protest has been organised by Samyukt Kisan Morcha (non-political) and several farmers' organisations have distanced themselves from it.

The Bharatiya Kisan Union (Lakhowal), which was part of the farmers' protest in 2020-21 that led to the Centre withdrawing three laws, said they won't join Tuesday's protest.

Instead, they will participate in a protest on Friday. The BKU, however, warned that if farmers' part of Tuesday's protest are "manhandled," all unions will hit the streets.