Punjab Congress MLAs, led by Leader of Opposition (LoP) Partap Singh Bajwa, staged a protest on Friday against the state government’s handling of farmers at the Punjab-Haryana Khanauri and Shambhu borders.
“We will discuss the budget on March 26, but today we will meet the Governor to address the mistreatment of farmers. Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan,” Bajwa told ANI.
The protest comes two days after Punjab police cleared the Sambhu and Khanauri borders, removing temporary structures set up by farmers. In response, Punjab’s Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian has invited leaders from the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) and Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) for a meeting in Chandigarh. The discussions are scheduled for 4 PM today at Punjab Bhawan, as per an official notice from the agriculture department.
Punjab police DIG Mandeep Singh stated that moveable items like tractors and trolleys were relocated a few kilometers away from the border. He emphasized that the farmers cooperated with authorities and assured that proper care was being taken of those detained.
“A large area has been cleared at the Khanauri border. Farmers can retrieve their trolleys by showing proof of identity, and entries are being maintained for record-keeping,” said DIG Patiala Range.
Meanwhile, farmer unions, including the All India Kisan Sabha and Bharatiya Kisan Union, have intensified their protest, marching towards Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini’s residence in Karnal.
Defending the AAP-led Punjab government’s actions, Minister Harpal Singh Cheema stated that the clearance operation was necessary to reopen the Shambhu and Khanauri borders.
