Nueva Delhi: The Punjab police launched an eviction campaign on Wednesday at the border points of Shambu and Khanauri, eliminating Protestant farmers and dismantling their temporary structures. The border points had remained closed for more than a year due to ongoing protests.
Farmers leaders arrest
Several farmers’ leaders, including Sarwan Singh Pandher and Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who was in an indefinite fast, were arrested in Mohali while returning from a meeting with the central delegation. Agricultural leader Guramneet Singh Mangat said Abhimanyu Kohar, Kaka Singh Kotra and Manjit Singh Rai were also arrested. Pandher was taken from the Zirakpur barrier to the Bahadurgarh Command Police Training Center on Patiala, while Dallewal was arrested while traveling in an ambulance.
Heavy security implementation in protest sites
The police action was preceded by a large deployment of security forces, including ambulances, buses, fire extinguishing vehicles and riot equipment in the protest sites. Around 3,000 police personnel, led by the Deputy Police Inspector (Patiala Range) Mandeep Singh Sidhu, were deployed at the Khanauri border, while another great force moved to clear the Shambu border. Khanauri’s protesters received ten minutes to evict before being arrested and transported in buses parked on the site.
Punjab Minister defends the eviction
Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Chema justified police action, citing economic losses due to prolonged road blockages. “The industries and companies have been severely affected by the closure of these two roads: the Punjab Life lines. The AAP government undertakes to provide jobs to young people, and trade must work without problems,” he said. Chema also reiterated that farmers should protest in Delhi, since their demands were aimed at the central government.
Farmers protest in police action
After the eviction, protesting the farmers accused the state government of betraying them. They alleged that the Punjab government cheated them to finish their hunger strike through promising conversations, just to stop the farmers’ leaders later. Some farmers faced the police personnel, raising slogans against the AAP government.
Congress and Akali Dal condemn repression
The deputy of the Amarinder Singh Raja Warring Congress accused both the center and the Punjab government of conspiracy against the farmers. “The farmers were sure of conversations, but after the discussions, the Punjab police arrested their leaders. This is an attempt to isolate Punjab farmers,” he said. The leader of the Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa Congress criticized CM Bhagwant Mann, warning: “God is observing the excesses you are committing against farmers.”
Shiromani Akali Dal Harsimrat Kaur Badal’s deputy said CM Bhagwant Mann had “lost his mental balance,” stating, “Mann promised to meet the demands of farmers during the elections, but now he is deceiving them.” The Minister of the Union, Ravneet Singh Bittu, also condemned the police action, accusing the AAP government of arresting the farmers to obtain political profits ahead of the partial elections of the west of Ludhiana.
Sad, BJP leaders question government reasons
Shiromani Akali Dal leader Daljit Singh Chema denounced arrests as “highly anti -democratic and illogical.” He demanded an explanation of CM Bhagwant Mann, saying: “The Minister of Agriculture of the Union announced the next meeting on May 4. Why were farmers’ leaders arrested immediately after the meeting?
Patiala SSP in police action
Patiala SSP Nanak Singh declared that the eviction was carried out peacefully in the presence of service magistrates after due warning.
Nanak Singh said: “Farmers had been protesting at the Shambu border for a long time. Today, in the presence of service magistrates, the police cleared the area after they were given an adequate warning. Some people showed a willingness to go home. Then, they were sent home on a bus. In addition, the structures and vehicles here will be transferred. They will clarify all the road.
Next round of conversations on May 4
Despite the repression, the central government continued conversations with representatives of the farmers. The Minister of Agriculture of the Union, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, leading the Central Delegation, described discussions as “positive and constructive.” However, the meeting was not conclusive, and the next round of negotiations has been scheduled for May 4.
Dig Mandeep Singh Sidhu declared that while the police saw farmers as their own people, the eviction was necessary since the meeting had been declared illegal under prohibitive orders. He warned the youngest protesters against bad behavior with security personnel. Police officers on the scene dismantled the protest structures using JCB machines, clearing the path of tractors and other vehicles.