Hundreds of farmers assembled at the Pipli Grain Market in Kurukshetra on Monday to protest against the proposed India-US trade deal and to press for their long-pending demands. The Bhartiya Kisan Union (Charuni) organised a Kisan Mazdoor Jan Kranti Rally, drawing participation from farmers across Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
Union leaders accused the BJP-led government of compromising farmers’ interests under pressure from the United States. BKU (Charuni) spokesperson Rakesh Bains said apart from opposing the trade deal, farmers are raising key pending demands, including a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP).
Also read: Gurugram construction site collapse: Rights body seeks report
He added that other demands include farm loan waivers, proper compensation for crop losses, amendments to the Land Acquisition Act, improvements in the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, withdrawal of FIRs registered during previous farmers’ protests, and action against those involved in the alleged Haryana paddy scam.
Bains said the Centre has failed to address farmers’ concerns, leaving them with no option but to intensify their agitation. As March 23 is observed as Martyrs’ Day (Shaheed Diwas), commemorating Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev Thapar and Shivaram Rajguru, the protesting farmers said they were paying tribute to the freedom fighters by standing up for their rights.
They also expressed concern that the proposed trade deal would benefit corporates at the cost of farmers, potentially reducing cultivators to mere workers under corporate control. The farmers warned of launching a large-scale agitation if the government does not respond positively to their demands.
Meanwhile, heavy police deployment was put in place in and around the protest site to maintain law and order and to prevent the farmers from marching towards the Delhi-Ambala National Highway.
Follow us
