Chaos broke out at the Punjab-Haryana (Shambhu) border on Tuesday as angry farmers began removing the barriers, prompting Haryana police to fire rounds of tear gas to disperse the group. Earlier, Haryana police detained a number of farmers and impounded their vehicles at the border shortly after farmers' unions launched the 'Dilli Chalo' march amid tight security.


West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee decried the firing of tear gas shells at protesting farmers in Haryana on Tuesday, referring to it as the "BJP's brutal assault" on cultivators. Taking to X, CM Banerjee stated: “How can our country progress when the farmers are attacked with tear gas shells for fighting for their basic rights? I strongly condemn the brutal assault on our farmers by the BJP."


“Instead of suppressing their protest, BJP must focus on humbling their inflated egos, power-hungry ambitions, and inadequate governance that has harmed our nation,” she added.






Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav also denounced the use of tear gas on protesting farmers at the Delhi-Haryana border and questioned the much-touted 'Amritkaal', or period of elixir, under BJP administration.


Slamming the firing of the tear gas shells at farmers, Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav on his official X handle writes: "What kind of immortality is this under BJP rule? Tear gas shells showered on farmers."






Calling farmers as "annadatas," AAP on Tuesday stated: "The demands of the farmers are genuine. Secondly, it is the Constitutional right of every citizen to make a peaceful protest. It is therefore, incorrect to arrest the farmers. The Central Government, infact, should invite them over for talks and try to find a solution of their genuine problems. Farmers of the Country are our "annadata" and treating them in this way by arresting them would be like rubbing salt into their wounds. We cannot be a party to this decision of the Central Government."






Reacting to farmers protest, Union Minister Arjun Munda stated: "The government is getting information that many people could try to pollute the atmosphere, I urge the farmers to stay careful of such elements. The government of India is committed towards the welfare of farmers. An agreement has been reached on some matters...We are open to many issues, and we can work on ways to find solutions."






Amidst the "Delhi Chalo" demonstration, Congress leader V Hanumantha Rao expressed alarm on Tuesday, claiming that farmers are being treated unfairly. He chastised the BJP-led federal government for emphasizing talks over the Ram temple in parliament while ignoring farmers' genuine concerns.


"You talk about the Ram temple; we respect that it's God's work; it's a good thing. But also listen to the poor, who work hard and feed people; there is injustice happening with the farmers. And you impose Section 144; no one can come, no vehicle can come, and not only the farmer is troubled because of this, the public is also troubled. You have completely stopped them on the highway; what kind of method is this?" he was quoted as saying by ANI in its report.


Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala on Tuesday asked BJP government to listen to the farmers demands. "The Congress (when it was in power) believed that the farmers were also a part of the country, and if they come to government and the Parliament, then we would listen to him. You (BJP-led central government) should listen to him instead of using teargas shells, guns, etc. against them," he stated. 






Calling Feb 13 as day for "farmers justice", Congress leader Jairam Ramesh stated: "The (farmers') unions are demanding the fulfilment of the promises made to them (by the central government). Rahul Gandhi met with farmers' unions and discussed MSP, waiver on loans and PM Fasal Bima Yojana. Today, February 13, is the day for farmers' justice." 


(With Inputs From Agencies)