Haryana police warn JCB owners about bulldozer battle on the Shambhu border

On Wednesday, the Haryana police issued a cautionary statement to the owners of earthmoving machinery and bulldozers participating in the farmers’ demonstration at the Sambhu border, indicating potential criminal liability.

In a social media post, the police highlighted that these machines could potentially inflict harm on security personnel, an act that is non-bailable. The police urged the owners and operators of Poclains and JCBs not to lend their equipment to the protestors and to remove any such machinery from the protest site. They reiterated the potential for these machines to harm security forces and the associated non-bailable offence and criminal liability.

Following an incident where the police halted the advancing farmers with barricades and tear gas, the protestors returned equipped with JCB machines, earthmovers, bulldozers, and improvised gas masks.

Reports suggest that the government has taken appropriate measures in response. They have installed concrete-reinforced boulders, and positioned buses, trucks, and shipping containers to prevent the farmers from entering the national capital. The police have also deployed bulldozers to counteract the farmers.

Sarwan Singh Pandher, a farmers’ leader, stated that their top leaders would continue to advance peacefully. He added that if the government believes that their issues can be resolved by harming the farmers, they are free to do so. However, the farmers will persist in their peaceful progression. He further stated that the government would be held accountable in the event of any violence.

The Punjab and Haryana high court criticized the protesting farmers who had set up camp at the Shambhu border with numerous tractors on Tuesday. They pointed out that according to the Motor Vehicle Act, tractor trolleys are not permitted on highways. The bench emphasized that while everyone is aware of their rights, they also have constitutional duties.

On Tuesday, the Haryana Police requested their counterparts in Punjab to confiscate any bulldozers due to potential safety hazards.

Why are the farmers protesting?

The farmers have been protesting to demand a legal guarantee for the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for all crops, the dismissal of cases filed against farmers during the 2020-2021 protest, compensation for family members of those killed during the demonstration in Lakhimpur Khiri, and other things. On Monday, the farmers rejected the Central government’s offer of MSP on certain crops for the next five years.

The Central government estimates that approximately 14,000 farmers, along with 1,200 tractors and 300 cars, are present at the Shambhu border. They have reportedly sent a letter to the AAP-led Punjab government regarding this matter.

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