Shambhu Border Sealed as Farmers Begin Delhi March Against India-US FTA; Security Tightened

New Delhi. Thousands of farmers from Punjab are gathering at the Shambhu Border today to march towards Delhi. This protest is being held against the proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the US. The ‘Desh Bachao Morcha’ has called for this agitation, demanding the cancellation of the agreement. Amidst this, Gurnam Singh Charuni, chief of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Charuni), was detained by the Haryana Police on Monday while he was on his way to attend a proposed farmers’ ‘Mahapanchayat’ in Delhi.

Security in the area has been tightened, and Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) has been imposed. Barricades have been placed on roads on both sides, and vehicular movement has been completely halted.

Convoys of farmers from Amritsar and Gurdaspur are preparing to reach Delhi via the Shambhu Border. The farmers’ primary demand is the immediate cancellation of the proposed India-US FTA.

Farmers state that if this agreement is implemented, it will directly impact Indian agriculture, the dairy industry, and the livelihoods of people living in rural areas. They believe that the influx of foreign products will cause massive losses to domestic farmers and could cripple the operations of small-scale farmers.

Leaders from the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha are also expected to arrive at the site soon to join the protest. Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher is also part of this movement, and his presence is considered crucial to the protest.

The administration has deployed police forces to prevent any untoward incidents. Police personnel are present at the site in anti-riot gear; however, the police presence is not as massive as it was during previous agitations.

The security arrangements at the Shambhu Border make it clear that the administration wants to avoid any kind of disorder. On the other hand, farmer organizations state that the agitation will continue until the government addresses their demands.

The entire nation is keeping a close watch on these developments, as the issue is directly linked to the economic condition of farmers and the country’s trade policy. All eyes will be on how the situation unfolds in the coming hours.