Centre must fulfill promises made to farmers: Akali leader Daljit Cheema

Shiromani Akali Dal leader and former education minister of Punjab, Daljit Singh Cheema, on Tuesday rendered support to farmers who have embarked on the 'Delhi Chalo' protest.

"Central government should fulfill the promises made to farmers," he added.

Expressing deep concern over the situation created after the farmers marching towards Delhi for their various demands were stopped on the way, he said, "It is everybody's constitutional right to hold peaceful protest and raise their legitimate demands."

He further showcased his dissatisfaction over how the government dealt with the protesting farmers, "Creating obstacles in the way of farmers is a violation of rights. It is undemocratic to curb the protest but the government is doing the same. Any kind of suppression and exploitation of farmers is not right."

Rendering support to the protesting farmers, Cheema said that Shiromani Akal Dal's sympathises with the farmers.

Daljit Singh Cheema appealed to the centre saying, "Measures must be taken to deliver what was promised to the farmers two years back. The centre should hold talks with the farmers. Peace must be maintained in every circumstance. The farmers must be allowed to organise a peaceful protest."

Earlier in the day, as police fired tear gas shells at farmers at the Shambhu border between Haryana and Punjab while they marched towards Delhi.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee questioned how the country could progress if farmers fighting for their basic rights were being attacked.

"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 (Bharatiya Janata Party)," Banerjee said in a post on 'X'.

Meanwhile, the farmer leader Rakesh Tikait said that demands for law on MSP, implementation of Swaminathan Committee report and debt waiver concern all farmers.