'Farmer's Death Unfortunate': Former Vice President Venkaiah Naidu; Appeals For Peace

Former VP M Venkaiah Naidu says he is saddened by the death of a young farmer during protests on Punjab-Haryana border on Wednesday. Naidu has appealed for peace while asking both farmers and the central government to "continue their dialogue in a cordial and meaningful atmosphere".

New Delhi:Former Vice President of India M Venkaiah Naidu Thursday expressed sorrow over the death of a young farmer who died of a head injury during the clashes between farmers and security personnel on Punjab-Haryana border a day earlier.

Appealing for peace, Naidu said that the government and the farmer associations should hold discussions in a "friendly and meaningful environment". "The death of a farmer in the ongoing agitation is unfortunate. I appeal to the government and farmers’ bodies to continue their dialogue in a cordial & meaningful atmosphere to ensure a satisfactory outcome for all sides. All stakeholders should strive to maintain peace at all costs," Naidu said in a post on X.

Subhkaran Singh (21), hailing from Bathinda district, died at Khanauri on the Sangrur-Jind border on Wednesday. Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher has demanded registration of a murder case against those responsible for the death of the protesting farmer. He also said the Punjab government should take action against the Haryana paramilitary force personnel for allegedly damaging 25-30 tractor-trolleys after entering into the state's territory.

After Singh's death, farmer leaders had put the 'Delhi Chalo' march on hold for two days on Wednesday. They said they would decide their next course of action on Friday evening. Police on Wednesday fired tear gas shells at the two border points multiple times to disperse groups of protesters when they attempted to move towards the layers of barricades stalling their march to the national capital.

Thousands of farmers remain camped at Khanauri and Shambhu with their tractor-trolleys and trucks agitating for their demands, including a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) for crops and farm debt waiver. The Punjab farmers are also demanding the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations, pension for farmers and farm labourers, no hike in electricity tariff, withdrawal of police cases and "justice" for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence, reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, and compensation to the families of the farmers who died during a previous agitation in 2020-21.

Read More