Punjab farmers protest: Bulldozer, cranes at Khanauri, Shambhu; ‘chakka jam’ announced — Why are they protesting?

The Punjab Police removed farmers from their protest site near the Punjab-Haryana Shambhu Border late Wednesday and demolished the tents erected by protesters near the border areas. The action was taken at the Khanauri protest site also.

The protesting farmers have been camping at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 last year when their march to Delhi was blocked by security forces. The march was planned to press their demands, including a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops.

Bulldozer, tow trucks and cranes

A video showed police using a bulldozer to erase temporary structures built by the protesters. In another video, police personnel could be seen removing fans from the temporary stage set up by farmers at the Punjab-Haryana Shambhu Border.

Another clip, shot at the Punjab-Haryana Khanauri Border, on Thursday showed the Punjab Police bringing in tow trucks and cranes to remove farmers' tractors, trucks, and other belongings.

Farmer leaders detained

The incident was reported as several farmer leaders, including Sarwan Singh Pandher and Jagjit Singh Dallewal, were detained in Mohali while returning from a meeting with a central delegation.

Farmer leader Guramneet Singh Mangat said Abhimanyu Kohar, Kaka Singh Kotra and Manjit Singh Rai were detained alongside Sarwan Singh Pandher and Jagjit Singh Dallewal.

The unexpected police action angered the protesting farmers, who have now called for a nationwide protest.

Chakka jam, nationwide protest

Following the incident, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha reportedly announced a nationwide protest outside the offices of deputy police commissioners on Thursday.

"A few farmer leaders have announced a 'chakka jaam' across Punjab to register their protest against the arrest of farmer leaders Jagjit Singh Dallewal, Sarwan Singh Pandher and others," the Tribune reported.

The report added that such announcements have been made at the village level, and farmers were told to block the nearest roads.

Farmer leaders said that this step is being taken against the government's lack of attention to their legitimate demands and strict action on peaceful demonstrations.

Meanwhile, spokesperson of SKM (Non-Political) Gurdeep Singh was quoted as saying that the detained farmer leaders have started a hunger strike in police custody.

Rahul Gandhi meets Punjab Congress MPs

Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday met the Congress MPs from Punjab, who are protesting on the Parliament premises over the issue of farmers.

Punjab Congress MPs, including the party's Punjab chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, staged a protest against both Punjab and central governments over the eviction of farmers from the Punjab-Haryana Khanauri and Shambhu Borders.

Farmers 'given proper warning'

Patiala SSP Nanak Singh said that farmers had been protesting at Shambhu Border for a long time. "Today, in the presence of duty magistrates, police cleared the area after they were given proper warning. A few people showed a willingness to go home. So, they were sent home on a bus," he told news agency ANI.

The official added that the structures and vehicles at the border were being moved. The entire road will be cleared and opened for traffic.

"The Haryana Police will also begin their action. Once it opens from their side, the movement on the highway will resume. We did not need to use any force because there was no resistance. Farmers cooperated well and they sat in buses by themselves," Singh said.

Govt 'will have to pay a heavy price'

After protesting farmers were removed from the Shambhu and Khanauri borders, Satnam Singh Pannu of Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee condemned the action against farmers by the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government

"The Bhagwant Mann government and the Narendra Modi government will have to pay a heavy price for this. Today, we will hold protest demonstrations outside the offices of deputy commissioners in Haryana and Punjab against the atrocities on farmers," he said.

Security heightened at Shambhu Border, internet suspended

Security was beefed up at the Haryana-Punjab Shambhu Border as police removed concrete barricades erected at the border to restrict farmers' movement further from where they were sitting on a protest over various demands.

In light of the farmers' agitation, internet services were suspended in the Sangrur district. The Tribune reported that the internet has also been shut since Wednesday evening in Patiala and surrounding towns.

Farmers attack AAP govt in Punjab, list out demands

Punjab farmers accused the AAP of negligence on issues such as stubble burning and paddy procurement mismanagement. BKU leaders warned of protests if harassment continues. They demanded subsidies, proper storage, and government action to prevent farmland from becoming barren.

Meanwhile, farmer leader Rakesh Tikait said, "The Punjab government created unnecessary issues instead of resolving them through discussions."

"Farmers who are detained should be released, and the Punjab government should talk to them about the roadblocks in the state," he said, adding that the central government wants farmers and the Punjab government to remain in conflict.

"The Punjab CM should hold talks with farmers and establish coordination. The demands are with the central government, and Punjab should act immediately; otherwise, the entire movement will shift to Punjab," Tikait said.

He added, “If the government fails to act, the protests will continue across the country. Meetings are already being held in Chhattisgarh and Odisha as part of the movement.”

Farmers' protest 'harming Punjab's economy'

Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema justified the police action by saying that "farmers' protest was harming the economy of Punjab."

He said, "Today's action has been taken because we want the youth of Punjab to get employment."

"We want to open Shambhu and Khanauri borders...The demands of the farmers are against the central government and they should stage a protest in Delhi or somewhere else but should not block the roads of Punjab...," Cheema said.

Farmer leaders meet central team 

A fresh round of talks between protesting farmers and a central delegation was held on Wednesday to discuss their demands, including a legal guarantee for MSP for crops. Both sides agreed to take forward the discussions.

The farmers said a legal guarantee for MSP can be given with an estimated outlay of ₹25,000-30,000 crore per annum. In addition to the MSP issue, the farmers are demanding a debt waiver, pension for farmers and farm labourers, no hike in electricity tariffs, withdrawal of police cases against farmers, justice for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence in Uttar Pradesh, reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, and compensation to the families of farmers who died during a previous agitation in 2020-21.

Prior to this meeting, four rounds of meetings took place between central ministers and the protesting farmers in February 2024 but the talks remained inconclusive.