Women’s Maha Panchayat at Khanauri-Shambhu Border: Farmers to make a big announcement tomorrow
Women farmers demand MSP Guarantee Law on International Women’s Day
Ferozepur/Shambhu, March 8, 2025: Thousands of women farmers participated in a Maha Panchayat at Datasinghwala-Khanauri and Shambhu Morcha on the occasion of International Women’s Day, demanding a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP). The event was organized, led, and addressed entirely by women.
During the gathering, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher announced that a crucial meeting of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha would take place on March 9, after which a major decision would be declared.
The farmers' protest at Khanauri and Shambhu borders has been ongoing for over a year, with women playing an active role. Many women farmer leaders are also involved in discussions with the government. Speakers at the event voiced concerns over the rising debt among farmers due to unfair crop prices, leading to suicides. They also highlighted that Jagjit Singh Dallewal has been on a hunger strike for 103 days to safeguard the future of farming and land. The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha reaffirmed that the protest will continue until their demands are met.
Farmer leaders emphasized that women constitute 50% of society, and any movement with their involvement is bound to succeed. Women speakers stressed that their demands are not new but are commitments made by various governments over time.
Pandher acknowledged that the farmers' movement (2.0) has now crossed one year, with farmers celebrating every festival at the Shambhu border. He reiterated that women’s participation is crucial for the success of the protest.
The next round of talks between the protesting farmers and the central government is scheduled for March 19. Earlier meetings on February 14 and February 22 ended without resolution. Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan stated that the government would verify the data provided by farmer unions before further discussions.
On February 25, Pandher had called off the planned march to Delhi, but sources suggest that tomorrow’s meeting may finalize a decision regarding a possible march to Delhi if the March 19 meeting with the government does not yield results on MSP legal guarantee and 13 other demands.