Chandigarh: Farmer leaders Sarwan Singh Pandher and Jagjit Singh Dallewal were detained in Mohali after meeting a central delegation, as Punjab Police cleared the Shambhu and Khanauri protest sites.
Despite assurances from Punjab ministers, evictions began at the Shambhu and Khanauri protest sites, which were cleared by Wednesday evening. Over 250 protesters were detained from Khanauri, 110 from Shambhu, and others from Mohali later moved to a marriage hall. The day’s meeting marked the seventh round of talks since February 2024, focusing on a law guaranteeing MSP for crops.
Police sources confirmed to the Mint that by late Wednesday, protest sites were cleared after dismantling temporary structures, and stages, and removing trolleys and vehicles set up by farmers.
However, after the talks, central ministers decided to appoint a joint secretary to discuss the MSP issue with stakeholders. The next meeting is set for May 4.
The BJP criticised the police action, accusing AAP of trying to “sabotage” talks, while Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema defended the evictions, citing economic losses from highway closures. “AAP is committed to jobs for youth, which require a thriving industry,” he said.
However, from early in the day, heavy police deployment signalled impending action at the protest sites as farmer leaders met the central delegation. A senior police officer said traffic would resume once Punjab cleared the roads and Haryana removed barricades.
As opposition parties condemned the detention of farmer leaders, senior Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa slammed the Punjab Police action as a “cowardly act,” stating it was unprecedented for a government to arrest leaders after calling them for a meeting. “He accused Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann of “backstabbing the farming community.”
BJP leader and Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu also criticized AAP, alleging they aimed to “sabotage talks between the Centre and farmers.” He claimed, “The central government is serious about farmer’s issues, but Punjab’s sudden action is a betrayal. Arvind Kejriwal has hatched a conspiracy against farmers.”
