HC orders opening of Shambhu border within 7 days

Chandigarh: The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday ordered the Haryana government to remove within a week the barricading set up at the Shambhu border near Ambala where farmers have been camping since February 13 when their ‘Delhi Chalo’ march was stopped.

The Haryana government had set up barricades at the Ambala-New Delhi national highway in February when Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) had announced to move towards Delhi in support of various demands, including a legal guarantee to minimum support price (MSP) for crops. The directions came on a bunch of petitions filed on farmer-related issues and against blockade.

The directions were given by the division bench of justices G S Sandhawalia and Vikas Bahl. Meanwhile, the farmers have called a meeting on July 16 to discuss the matter. Speaking to media after the hearing, Haryana Additional Advocate General Deepak Sabherwal said the court has directed the Haryana government to remove barricading within seven days.

The court also said if any law and order situation arises, then it can take preventive action according to law. He further said similar directions have been given to the Punjab government for maintaining law and order, while stating that any barricading at the Punjab side should also be removed. The orders are to open the highway, he said. The SKM (Non-Political) and KMM 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 of 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, a native of Bathinda, was killed and many police personnel were injured in clashes at Khanauri border point on the Punjab-Haryana border on February 21. The incident took place when some protesting farmers were trying to head towards the barricades and were stopped by the security personnel from crossing the state border and marching to Delhi.