Last Rites of Farmer Shubhkaran Performed at Bathinda, Agitation Continues

Shubhkaran Singh, a farmer from Punjab's Bathinda district, died on Thursday amid clashes between protesting farmers and Haryana police forces.

Chandigarh:The mortal remains of farmer Shubhkaran Singh, who died during clashes between the protesting farmers and the Haryana security personnel, were consigned to flames at his native place in Punjab's Bathinda district on Thursday. Shubhkaran (21), was killed and 12 police personnel were injured in clashes at Khanauri border point on the Punjab-Haryana border on February 21. The incident took place when some protesting farmers were trying to head towards the barricades.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) are spearheading the 'Delhi Chalo' march to press the government to accept their demands, including a legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for crops and a farm loan waiver. Farmers paid their last respects to Shubhkaran whose body was taken from Rajindra Medical hospital in Patiala to the Khanauri border. The farmers also marched along the ambulance and demanded action against those who are responsible for his death.

The farmers laid flags of farmer outfits on his body in order to pay tributes to him. Later his body was taken to his village Balloh in Bathinda for his last rites. Meanwhile, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said the agitation over their various demands continues. "The agitation is continuing at Shambhu and Khanauri border points," said Pandher while speaking to reporters.

He said a meeting for paying tributes to Shubhkaran will be held by both the forums of SKM (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha at Balloh village in Bathinda on March 3 and asked people to attend it in large numbers. The post mortem of Shubhkaran took place on Wednesday night after the Punjab police registered a case of murder at the Patran police station in Patiala.

The farmers had been demanding that they would allow the post mortem only if the FIR was registered in the death of Shubhkaran. Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday said a case was registered after consulting legal experts. Investigation will take place now to know who was responsible and from the post mortem report, it will be known what was the cause of death, he further said.

Mann said Shubhkaran's family will be given Rs 1 crore and his sister will be given a government job. Earlier, Punjab Inspector General of Police Sukhchain Singh said the police have registered a zero FIR in the Shubhkaran case. A zero FIR can be registered by any police station irrespective of jurisdiction when it receives a complaint regarding a cognisable offence.

The farmers protesting to press the Centre for their various demands are staying put at the two protest sites on the Punjab-Haryana border. Their 'Delhi Chalo' march was put on hold for two days after a protester was killed and around 12 police personnel were injured in clashes at Khanauri on February 21.

Two days later, the farmer leaders said the protesters will continue to camp at Khanauri and Shambhu on Punjab's border with Haryana till February 29 when the next course of action will be decided. The farmer leaders had earlier said they will not end their agitation until their demands are met, while indicating that their stir may continue even if the model code of conduct comes into force.

The standoff between farmers and the Centre over their various demands continues. On February 19, farmer leaders taking part in the 'Delhi Chalo' agitation rejected the BJP-led Centre's proposal for procuring pulses, maize and cotton at the MSP by government agencies for five years, saying it was not in favour of the farmers.

In the fourth round of talks with the farmer leaders on February 18, a panel of three Union ministers had proposed that government agencies would buy pulses, maize and cotton at the MSP for five years after entering into an agreement with farmers.

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.