SKM protest: Farmers thwarted on way to Chandigarh by Punjab Police

Punjab Police thwarted the farmers' attempt to go to Chandigarh on the Samyukta Kisan Morcha's call for a week-long dharna beginning Wednesday, 5 March, as multiple checkpoints were set up across the state and security stepped up at all entry points of the union territory.

The SKM, a conglomerate of more than 30 farmer bodies, had put out a call for a sit-in in Chandigarh in support of the farmers' various demands, including purchase of six crops at a minimum support price by the state government.

Farmers, who left for Chandigarh in tractor–trolleys and other vehicles on Wednesday morning, were stopped by the Punjab Police at many places on the highways and other roads.

The SKM strongly condemned the AAP government for preventing farmers from going to the UT to raise their voice in support of their demands.

SKM leaders claimed that many farmers were detained by the police while they were on their way to Chandigarh, while several others began a protest demonstration where they were stopped.

DIG (deputy inspector general of police) for the Ropar Range, Harcharan Singh Bhullar, said the protesting farmers would not be allowed to reach Chandigarh at any cost.

"Wherever any farmer came out (on roads), police of that area stopped them there itself. They were sitting there peacefully," Bhullar said.

He said the situation in Punjab is totally peaceful.

The DIG said some farmers have been rounded up, adding that there was good coordination between Punjab Police and Chandigarh Police.

According to the farmers, SKM leader Joginder Singh Ugrahan was detained in Sangrur.

In Sangrur's Gharachon area, heavy deployment of police personnel was seen, aiming to prevent farmers from getting to Chandigarh. Barricades were put up and sand-laden trucks were also parked to stop the farmers from going to Chandigarh.

In Moga, Krantikari Kisan Union (KSU) district president Jatinder Singh said they were stopped at Ajitwal by police when they were going to Chandigarh. He claimed some of them were detained by the police.

The protesters also raised slogans against the Bhagwant Mann government for not allowing them to go to Chandigarh.

In Samrala also, farmers said they were stopped by police from moving to Chandigarh.

In Patiala, a senior police official said police will ensure that there is no movement of protesting farmers towards Chandigarh. He said police will ensure the general public do not face any inconvenience.

In Moga, police erected barricades at Chuhar Chak area to prevent farmers from moving towards Chandigarh. A police official said 100 police personnel have been deployed at the checkpoint and that every vehicle was being checked to stop farmers.

In Sangrur, police put up checkpoints at many places, including Gharachon and Bhawanigarh. In Kharar, police personnel were deployed at Bhago Majra toll plaza.

Meanwhile, SKM leader Raminder Singh Patiala dubbed the Punjab government's action against farmers as "undeclared emergency" and said batches of farmers at several places were stopped by police and were detained.

"The Bhagwant Mann government has shown that it is rattled and tried to suppress farmers' movement. It is our constitutional right to raise our voice in Chandigarh," said Patiala.

Farmer leader Ugrahan in a video message condemned police action against farmers. He said their demands are related to Punjab.

Ugrahan on Tuesday had called upon farmer leaders to head towards Chandigarh.

He had asked farmers to sit at a vacant place if they were stopped by police on their way to Chandigarh, telling them not to block any road.

Chandigarh Police put up barricades at the Chandigarh-Mohali border points to prevent protesting farmers from entering the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana.

Security was beefed up at the entry points to Chandigarh from Mohali. Policemen checked vehicles especially buses coming from Punjab and even verified people going to Chandigarh.

Police also deployed anti-riot vehicles, ambulances and fire brigades at several places.

The intensive checking disrupted traffic from Mohali to Chandigarh at the border points, leading to a long queue of vehicles, causing inconvenience to commuters.

Commuters at the Chandigarh–Zirakpur road and some other roads expressed their frustration over traffic snarls. A commuter who was coming from Ambala and going to Chandigarh said he got stuck in the traffic jam for over an hour.

Chandigarh SP (superintendent of police) Geetanjali Khandelwal said police personnel were deployed at all the border points.

"Barricading has been put up and strict checking is being done. We want people to face minimum inconvenience. Wherever we suspect traffic snarls we have directed traffic routes," she told reporters.

The Chandigarh administration has denied permission to farmers to hold their sit-in at Sector 34 in the city.

Meanwhile, the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) burnt the effigies of chief minister Mann in Amritsar over the police action against SKM leaders and not allowing farmers to go to Chandigarh.

Mann on Tuesday, 4 March, had lashed out at several farmer bodies for resorting to protests every other day and accused them of turning Punjab into a "state of dharnas" and causing a huge loss to it.

Mann denounced the farmer organisations after talks between the Punjab government and SKM leaders to discuss farmers' demands broke down midway on Monday, 3 March.

The SKM, which had led the 2020 agitation against the now-repealed three farm laws, is demanding the withdrawal of the Centre's draft of the National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing, a legal guarantee to MSP as per the Swaminathan Commission report, implementation of the state's agricultural policy and purchase of six crops including basmati, maize, moong, potato at MSP by the state government.

The farmer organisation is also demanding a law for debt settlement, ownership rights of land tillers ensuring canal water to every field, payment of sugarcane arrears, stopping "forcible" acquisition of land for the Bharatmala projects, and jobs and compensation for kin of farmers who lost lives during the farmers' stir in 2020–21.