On the issue of the deaths of two farmers during the ongoing protest, Pandher said the Punjab government should announce a policy in this regard and seek compensation and jobs for one of the family members of the deceased.A 72-year-old farmer, who was part of the protest at the Khanauri border point, died of cardiac arrest on Sunday. Earlier, a 63-year-old farmer died of a heart attack at the Shambhu border.On the issue of internet suspension in certain areas of Punjab, Pandher said the state government should make its stand clear on this.Ashok Bulara, another farmer leader, said the government should frame a law on the MSP, waive farm loans and give rates in accordance with the “C2 plus 50 per cent” formula recommended by the Swaminathan Commission.”Either accept our demands or we should be allowed to move towards Delhi for a peaceful protest,” he said.On Monday evening, SKM (Non-Political) leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal had said, “After holding discussions on two of our forums, it has been decided that the Centre’s proposal is not in the interest of farmers and we reject it.”Asked if their call for a march to Delhi still stands, Pandher had said, “We will move to Delhi peacefully at 11 am on February 21.”The protesting farmers have been staying put at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana, after their “Delhi Chalo” march to press the BJP-led Centre for various demands, including a legal guarantee on the MSP for crops, was stopped by security forces.They began their march on February 13 but were stopped by the security forces, which led to clashes at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points.Besides a legal guarantee on the MSP, the farmers are demanding the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations, pension for farmers and farm labourers, farm loan waiver, no hike in the electricity tariff, a withdrawal of police cases and “justice” for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence in Uttar Pradesh, reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013 and compensation to the families of the farmers who died during a previous agitation in 2020-21.
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