Punjab: Internet shut down at borders after detention of farmer leaders

The Internet has been shut down at Shambhu and Khanauri borders in Punjab following the detention of key farmer leaders, Jagjit Singh Dallewal and Sarwan Singh Pandher.

The move comes after a meeting between the Centre and farmer representatives failed to yield a conclusive resolution, prompting the farmers to head towards the Shambhu border for further protests.

Farmer leaders were on their way to the Shambhu border after the inconclusive talks, but their convoy was intercepted by Punjab Police in Mohali, where they were detained.

While 200 farmers were detained at Khanauri, over 100 of them were held at Shambhu.

The Punjab Police began evicting protesting farmers from the Khanauri and Shambhu border points, which have been interrupted due to ongoing protests against farm laws and other issues.

The situation escalated later in the evening, as the police launched a forceful operation to clear the protest sites. By around 9:30 pm, both the Khanauri and Shambhu sites were completely vacated.

In a bid to avoid confrontation, Mandeep Singh Sidhu, the DIG of the Patiala Range, addressed the remaining protesters, urging them to leave voluntarily. He stated, "We are over 3,000 strong, and you are only a few hundred. We have to clear these sites, come what may. Your leaders have already been detained in Chandigarh... we do not want to use force, so we request everyone to board the buses voluntarily."

The central government's recent engagement with the farmers saw a meeting with Union ministers and Punjab cabinet ministers in Chandigarh, as part of their outreach efforts to address farmer concerns. However, the negotiations ended without any substantial breakthrough.

With the detentions of prominent leaders like Dallewal and Pandher, tensions are high. The next round of talks between the government and farmers is scheduled for 4 May.

To control the escalating situation, authorities cut off the electricity supply and shut down the internet at key protest sites.

Police remove barricades from Punjab-Haryana border

After evicting farmers who had been staging a sit-in protest for over a year and had raised temporary structures on two crucial borders linking Punjab with Haryana, the police used bulldozers to remove the concrete barricades to restrict the movement of farmers.

Punjab Police used mild force to disperse those gathered at the Shambhu and Khanauri protest sites on the Punjab-Haryana border.

Late in the night, the Haryana Police removed preventive barricades. However, the highway on both the border points is still shut.

The police, who faced mild resistance, detained over 300 protesters, including the 28-member delegation, hours after the third round of talks with the central government panel ended in Chandigarh.

At the meeting, Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan reiterated the Centre’s commitment to the welfare of farmers.

The national highways had been blocked since 13 February 2024, for traffic. After whisking away the protesters, the police have been removing tractor-trailers parked both at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders.

Senior superintendent of police Nanak Singh told the media on Wednesday that farmers had been protesting at Shambhu for a long time. “Today (19 March), in the presence of duty magistrates, the police cleared the area after they were given proper warning. A few people showed a willingness to go home. In addition, the structures and vehicles here are being moved. The entire road will be cleared and opened for traffic.”

BJP leader and Union minister Ravneet Bittu spoke to Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini about clearing the route as the Punjab government removed farmers from the borders.

Justifying the government action, Punjab finance minister Harpal Cheema said the step was necessitated for the economic growth of the state.

“It is important that we fight against unemployment too,” he added.

Also, before the police action, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Malvinder Singh Kang called for a collaborative and constructive approach to resolve the ongoing issues faced by farmers.

He highlighted that Punjab's borders have been blocked for over a year, leading to significant economic losses, reduced investments, and a decline in tourism.

“The closure of Punjab’s borders, particularly at Shambhu, has not only created economic hardships but also affected religious tourism. The number of devotees visiting sacred places like Darbar Sahib has declined. Furthermore, the biggest challenge is the lack of investment, which is directly tied to industrial growth and employment generation. This is a pressing issue as unemployment is one of the root causes of drug abuse in Punjab,” he said.