Punjab farmers stopped at Shambhu border, turn back after detained colleagues freed

Shambhu/Ambala, Jul 21 (PTI) Punjab farmers on their way to Delhi for the Kisan Mahapanchayat to protest against the proposed India-US trade deal were stopped at the Shambhu border by the Haryana Police on Tuesday.

The farmers' convoys were met with barricades and cement blocks at the entry point to the neighbouring state.

Later in the day, the farmers began their march homewards after handing over a memorandum to Haryana Agriculture Minister Shyam Singh Rana and Ambala Deputy Commissioner Ajay Singh Tomer, who promised to fulfil their demands, including release of detained farmers.

The leaders said they ended their agitation around 6 pm after their detained colleagues were released.

By the evening, Haryana authorities had begun removing barricades and cement blocks from the Shambhu border point.

They said traffic on the Ambala-Amritsar national highway will resume soon.

A daylong Kisan Mahapanchayat was supposed to happen at Kisan Ghat in Delhi under the banner of 'Desh Bachao Morcha' on Tuesday against the India-US trade deal.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann slammed the Haryana government for preventing farmers from moving towards Delhi and asked the Centre to invite farmers for talks.

Besides Punjab, farmers from Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh were claimed to have been part of the march for the Mahapanchayat.

Earlier in the day, around a thousand farmers from Punjab, carrying flags of their outfits, arrived at the Shambhu border to proceed to Delhi on buses.

The farmers spent Monday night at the sarai (inn) of Gurdwara Sri Fatehgarh Sahib and departed in the morning. From the gurdwara, they first reached Madhopur near Sirhind on GT Road, and then proceeded towards Shambhu, where they were stopped.

Chained barricades and cement blocks were erected on the bridge over the Ghaggar River amid heavy police presence, and water cannons were kept on standby.

Authorities in the adjacent Ambala clamped prohibitory orders.

Ambala Superintendent of Police Ajit Singh Shekhawat camped at the spot.

Security was tightened along key national highway stretches. Farmer leaders said scores of farmers were stopped at the Khanauri border, Shahabad in Kurukshetra and Karnal as well.

In Kurukshetra, farmers claimed that they were stopped near Jyotisar.

Punjab farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher slammed the Nayab Singh Saini government for stopping the march.

Speaking to reporters, Pandher said the halting of their convoys exposed the "true face" of the Haryana chief minister, who frequently visits Punjab to seek votes and makes tall promises to people there.

He also slammed Punjab BJP chief Kewal Singh Dhillon for keeping silent.

"What danger do they have from us? Earlier they used to blame us for taking tractor trolleys along. But this time, we are only going for a four-hour-long programme," he said.

He asserted that the farmers did not intend to be involved in any confrontation with the Haryana Police.

Pandher also demanded the release of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Charuni) chief Gurnam Singh Charuni, who was detained by police in Kurukshetra on Monday while on his way to the Mahapanchayat.

The outfit's spokesperson, Prince Waraich, claimed that the Haryana Police had been detaining a large number of the outfit's workers.

Bharatiya Kisan Union (Shaheed Bhagat Singh) leader Tejveer Singh alleged that Haryana Police sealed the Shambhu border point without any prior notice.

Later, the farmer leaders were granted a meeting with Haryana Agriculture Minister Shyam Singh Rana, who, along with the Ambala deputy commissioner, met them.

Sharing details of the meeting, Pandher said the minister assured them that detained farmers, including Gurnam Singh Charuni, will be released after discussion with the chief minister.

They have also been assured of a meeting with Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in eight to ten days, Pandher said.

Meanwhile, sealing of the border point caused grave inconvenience to road commuters.

Ahead of the farmers' protest, Haryana Police had issued a traffic advisory, asking commuters to take the Ambala Cantonment-Chandigarh-Lalru-Dera Bassi-Zirakpur route for Punjab. Those going to Delhi from Punjab can take the Rajpura-Lalru-Dera Bassi-Zirakpur-Ambala Cantonment route, it said.

Farmers have been strongly opposing the India-US trade deal, claiming that it would have grave impacts on the country's farming sector.

They claim that the deal would allow cheaper agricultural imports into India, affecting domestic farm incomes and the country's agricultural economy.

The deal will affect farmers, agricultural labourers, livestock rearers, small traders and micro industries, they say.

The agreement would not be limited to a few commodities but extends to agriculture, dairy, industry, digital trade, e-commerce, government procurement, intellectual property rights, and the services sector.

In February 2024, similar barricading was carried out when farmers announced a march to Delhi to press the Centre for a legal guarantee for the Minimum Support Price of their crops. PTI