‘Dilli Chalo’: Punjab Police hold meeting with farmer leaders at Shambhu border ahead of march

Punjab Police held a meeting with the protesting farmers at the Shambhu border on Thursday to reflect upon their decision hours before the scheduled Dilli Chalo march.

Deputy Inspector General of Police Mandeep Singh Sidhu (Patiala Range), Senior Superintendent of Police (SP) Patiala Nanak Singh and SP Sarfaraz Alam met farmer leaders at Shambhu Border. The meeting lasted for nearly half an hour but the farmer leaders remained resolute and refused to budge from their stand.

Sidhu said the farmers have assured that no vehicle would be used. The farmers would go on foot, he said.

According to sources in the police, the first Jatha consisting of 100 farmers would march towards Delhi on Friday. On being confronted by police, they would offer their arrest.

During the meeting, the police officials stressed that currently the sentiments are in favour of the farmers. Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar has come out in favour of the farmers and told the government to engage in talks and stop the situation from escalating further.

The Supreme Court appointment committee has submitted a report which is in favour of the farmers, the officials said.

Any aggressive step taken by the farmers could turn counterproductive for their agitation and they may end up losing the sympathy of people, the officials added.