Indian Olympic medallist Bajrang Punia criticized the government for arresting farmers during the ongoing protest at the Shambhu Border in Punjab, calling it a betrayal of farmers’ trust.
Punia accused the Central and Punjab governments of oppressive actions and urged citizens to stand in solidarity with the farmers.
“The government was just pretending to talk to farmers. Arresting them after discussions shows that they are not serious about solving the farmers’ problems. This is a betrayal,” Punia stated.
He expressed disappointment over the detention of farmer leaders, including Sarwan Singh Pandher and Jagjit Singh Dallewal, after their talks with government officials.
Taking to social media, Punia condemned the arrests, saying:
“This cowardly act of the government makes it clear that talks were just a facade. If the government genuinely cared about farmers’ demands, they would have resolved the issues instead of trying to suppress the movement.”
The protest at Shambhu Border escalated when security forces detained several farmers and used bulldozers to remove barricades set up at the Punjab-Haryana border. Both Punjab and Haryana Police took action to disperse the protesters and clear the blocked highway.
Despite the forceful eviction, Patiala SSP Nanak Singh claimed that the police did not use force as the protesters left voluntarily.
“Farmers had been protesting for a long time. Today, in the presence of Duty Magistrates, police cleared the area after warnings. Some farmers voluntarily boarded buses to leave. The road will be fully reopened soon,” SSP Singh said.
Denouncing the government’s actions, Punia called on citizens across India to stand with the farmers.
“All countrymen should support the farmers and oppose this oppression,” he urged.
With farmer leaders detained and protests continuing, tensions remain high as the demand for a fair resolution to farmers’ grievances gains national attention.
