Farmer leaders on Sunday announced that they would increase their strength at the border points where they have been protesting since February 13. They denied having stepped back from their march to Delhi.

Jagjit Singh Dallewal, one of the farmer leaders, told reporters on Sunday that the farmers have decided to increase their number and camp at other border points as well to intensify their agitation.

Speaking after a prayer meeting organised in commemoration of a young farmer Shubhkaran Singh who died during the protests, Dallewal said the farmer organisations have discussed taking the protest forward in a more effective way while maintaining peace.

On March 10, the leaders gave the call for a 12 pm-to-4 pm “Rail Roko”, and asked all the farmers to be a part of the event.

He further said that the befitting homage to the departed soul of the young farmer would be that all take part in this Rail Roko, and take it as a responsibility towards the ongoing protest.

He said the agitation is not confined to the farmers of Punjab and Haryana, but a national protest.

The last rites of the young farmer were performed after the Punjab government filed a case in connection with his death.

Earlier, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced an ex gratia of Rs 1 crore for the family of Shubhkaran and a government job for his sister. He said due to the pressure on the government relief was given to the farmers in sugarcane prices and several other things.

Dallewal alleged that the farmers of Haryana are not being allowed to venture out to support the protest.

Meanwhile, the farmers continued to camp at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders, and are preparing to carry on with their protest. They have been camping at the Punjab-Haryana Shambhu and Khanauri borders since February 13 when they were stopped by the police from entering Haryana on their way to Delhi.

The Centre, after having four rounds of talks with the farmers that ended inconclusively, invited them for a fifth round. However, people travelling to Haryana, Chandigarh, and Punjab via roads are facing difficulties due to multiple route diversions in the wake of the farmer stir. Traffic is diverted to narrow roads and other alternative routes.