Farmers who were protesting at the Haryana-Punjab interstate border have vacated the site, and detained protesters have been released. The development came after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Haryana government agreed to step in and mediate between the farmers and the central agriculture ministry.
Farmers call off Delhi march after government intervention
The farmers, representing the Desh Bachao Morcha (DBM), agreed to vacate the border on Tuesday evening. They called off their planned march to New Delhi midway after the Haryana government's assurance.
According to The Tribune, the DBM, a coalition of farmer organisations from several states including Haryana and Punjab, had called for the Delhi rally demanding greater transparency and stakeholder consultation before any India-US trade pact is finalised.
Divergent strategies among farmer groups
While the DBM farmers agreed to end their protest, the groups aligned with the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) were still determined to continue their protest, but in a different way. The two groups were not on the same page regarding the protest strategy, making it a hectic day.
As reported by The Tribune on X, BKU factions were united on the issue but divided on protest strategy.
Our Take: A tactical win for dialogue
This development shows that when state governments step in to listen to farmer concerns, confrontation can be avoided. The Haryana government's willingness to mediate with the Centre on trade pact transparency is a positive step. However, the division between DBM and SKM groups suggests that the larger farmer protest movement remains fragmented. The key question now is whether the government will follow through on its promise of genuine stakeholder consultation before any India-US trade deal is signed. For now, the de-escalation at the border is a relief, but the underlying issues remain unresolved.
