Trinamool Congress delegation meets protesting farmers at Khanauri border

Chandigarh: A delegation of TMC leaders on Monday met protesting farmers at Khanauri border point in Punjab, with West Bengal Chief Minister and party supremo Mamata Banerjee speaking to the farmer leaders over the phone.

Banerjee assured the protesters that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) will "always stand for justice for farmers".

The five-member delegation comprised TMC national spokesperson Derek O'Brien, Mohammed Nadimul Haque, Dola Sen, Sagarika Ghose, and Saket Gokhale.

"Today team @AITCofficial in a 5 MP delegation visited farmers protests in Khanauri border. Our leader @MamataOfficial spoke via phone to farm leaders to assure them that @AITCofficial will always stand for justice for farmers. Jai Hind. Jai Kisan," Ghose posted on X after the meeting.

Today team @AITCofficial in a 5 MP delegation visited farmers protests on the Khanauri border. Our leader @MamataOfficial spoke via phone to farm leaders to assure them that @AITCofficial will always stand for justice for farmers. Jai Hind. Jai Kisan . #mamatimanush https://t.co/4M0Pl5Bepi

— Sagarika Ghose (@sagarikaghose) June 10, 2024

Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) leader Abhimanyu Kohar said the TMC delegation was at Khanauri in Sangrur district for an hour.

"They went to the spot where tractors were damaged and Shubhkaran Singh had sustained bullet injury. They spoke with farmers," he said, referring to the clash with the police in February on the border point with Haryana.

Kohar said Banerjee spoke with farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal.

The delegation also said that the TMC will raise the issue of legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP) in the monsoon session of Parliament.

The SKM (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha are spearheading the 'Delhi Chalo' march by farmers to press the government to accept their demands which include that the Centre should give a legal guarantee for MSP for crops.

The farmers have been staying put at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 when their march was stopped by the security forces.

Shubhkaran Singh (21), a native of Bathinda, was killed and 12 police personnel sustained injuries in clashes at Khanauri on February 21.

The incident took place when some protesting farmers were trying to head towards barricades and were stopped by security personnel from crossing the state border and marching to Delhi.