Supreme Court to Hear Shambhu Border Blockade Case; Decision on Negotiators Panel Expected

The matter of opening the Shambhu border located on the Punjab-Haryana border will be heard in the Supreme Court on August 22. The apex court can decide the names of the panel of negotiators to talk to the farmers. Earlier on August 12, when the matter was heard in the Supreme Court, the court had said that the SSPs of Ambala and Patiala should hold a meeting and see that the roads can be opened for the needy people.

The protesting farmers have been camping at the Shambhu border since February 13. The United Kisan Morcha and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) had announced to march to Delhi in support of their demands. In view of the farmers' march to Delhi, the Haryana government put up barricades on the Ambala-New Delhi National Highway to stop them. The police stopped the farmers at the Shambhu border itself. The farmers have been camping there for the last seven months.

Farmers had announced to march to Delhi in support of various demands including legal guarantee of Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops, after which the Haryana government had put up barricades on the Ambala-New Delhi National Highway in February. The main demand of the farmers is regarding MSP.

MSP is the price at which the government buys agricultural produce from farmers. There is MSP for a total of 22 crops in the country, these mainly include paddy, pulses and oilseeds. Apart from this, farmers have some demands which are as follows.

  • The government should waive the loans of farmers and labourers.
  • The government should implement the Land Acquisition Act 2013.
  • The accused of violence in Lakhimpur should be punished.
  • Exit the World Trade Organization (WTO).
  • All free trade agreements should be banned.
  • Pension should be arranged for farmers and agricultural labourers.
  • Pension should be given to those who lost their lives during the farmers' protest in Delhi

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