Putting pressure on the Centre, farm leaders have announced ‘Gramin Bharat Bandh’ on Friday to press for their demand of minimum support price for the crop produce.

The agitating farmers, particularly of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) and BKU Dakaunda (Dhaner), began ‘rail roko’ at several locations across Punjab on Thursday, including railway stations at Mansa, Barnala and Rajpura.

Meanwhile, the farm leaders will hold talk with Union ministers Piyush Goyal, Arjun Munda and Nityananad Rai, for the third time in a row, in Chandigarh. Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee General Secretary, Sarvan Singh Pandher hoped for a resolution after the talks are held.

Moments after the protesting farmers resumed their march to the National Capital on Wednesday, chaos ensued at the Shambhu border. Security personnel fired tear gas shells to disperse the crowds. At least 10 farmers have been injured so far.

Meanwhile, Delhi’s borders were further fortified, with security personnel deployed in large numbers and barricades laid out across all possible entry points.

This comes after chaotic scenes played out along the Punjab Haryana border on Tuesday, with protestors clashing with security personnel, and the latter firing teargas shells — including some dropped from drones — to stop them. Dozens of people were injured in the process.

The farmers are seeking MSP (minimum support price) guarantee for 23 crops, waiver of their debts and withdrawal of cases registered against them during the 2020-21 farmers’ agitation.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), along with central trade unions have called for a Gramin Bharat Bandh nationwide strike on February 16 to press for their demands before the Centre. It urged all like-minded farmer organisations to unite and take part in the February 16 Gramin Bharat Bandh called by the central trade unions.

The development comes as hundreds of farmers marching from Punjab have been stopped at the state’s border with Haryana near Ambala, about 200 kilometres away from Delhi. Haryana security forces have used tear gas on them to try and disperse them.

A Delhi Police source said they are determined to not let the protesters enter the national capital should they advance.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) has urged all like-minded farmer organisations to unite and take part in the Bharat bandh. The day-long protest will begin from 6am to 4pm.