In a controversial move, the Punjab Police cleared the Shambhu and Khanauri border protest sites on the evening of March 20, abruptly dismantling a demonstration that had lasted over 13 months. The crackdown came just hours after Punjab’s state authorities had reportedly assured farmer leaders that no such action was being planned. The operation, which included detaining the movement’s key leaders, Sarvan Singh Pandher and Jagjit Singh Dallewal amongst many others, has drawn sharp criticism, raising questions about the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government’s changing stance on the farmers’ agitation and the role of economic pressures in shaping its decisions.
The Arrests: a pre-planned action to neutralise leadership
Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) leader Sarvan Singh Pandher and Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal were detained while they were en-route back to their respective protest sites after a meeting with the union government in Chandigarh. The meeting, which involved Union Ministers Piyush Goyal, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and Pralhad Joshi, ended inconclusively as the Union had dismissed the farmers’ data supporting their demand for a Minimum Support Price (MSP) law.
The Punjab police, which had been trailing the farmer leaders since their departure from the meeting, acted swiftly as soon as they entered the state. Dallewal, who has been on a hunger strike since November 2023, was detained from his ambulance near Zirakpur, while Pandher was taken into custody in Mohali. Other farmer leaders, including Abhimanyu Kohar, Kaka Singh Kotra, and Manjit Singh Rai, were also detained and transported to separate locations. The decision to apprehend them away from the protest sites was a calculated move by the authorities to prevent an immediate backlash at the encampments.
A government under pressure: The industrial factor behind the crackdown
Until recently, the Punjab government had refrained from using force against the protesting farmers, despite multiple rounds of failed negotiations. However, the tide turned after former chief minister, Arvind Kejriwal, who was in Punjab at the time, reportedly received strong pushback from industrialists in Ludhiana. Traders and business leaders warned that the prolonged blockade at Shambhu and Khanauri was causing significant economic disruptions, potentially jeopardising AAP’s chances in the upcoming Ludhiana West Assembly by-elections.
On the night of March 20, top functionaries of the Punjab government and AAP had met industry leaders, after which the decision to remove the protest sites was finalised. As per a report of the Tribune, this sequence of events suggests that economic interests played a pivotal role in the sudden shift in Punjab’s handling of the protests. Rather than standing firm in support of the farmers, as it had done in the past, the AAP government chose to prioritise the concerns of businesses over the demands of agricultural workers, effectively betraying a constituency that had largely supported the party in previous elections.
Police operation: dispersal under the cover of darkness
By late Wednesday, the police moved in with a heavily coordinated strategy. As per multiple media reports, over 7,000 officers from various districts, along with riot control vehicles, water cannons, and cranes, were deployed to execute the operation. Authorities also cut off electricity at both protest sites, forcing officers to use torches for visibility. Protesters at the Khanauri site reported that they had no means to communicate as internet services had been curtailed, preventing them from sharing images or videos of the police action.
Despite the heavy police presence, farmers initially remained defiant. However, faced with overwhelming numbers, many eventually boarded buses voluntarily, while others were forcibly removed. As per the report of The Indian Express, Patiala Deputy Inspector General of Police Mandeep Singh Sidhu addressed the protesters, stating, “We are over 3,000, and you are only a few hundred. We have to clear the sites, come what may.”
Political reactions: AAP faces backlash for its ‘betrayal’
The opposition wasted no time in condemning the AAP government for its actions. Congress MP Amarinder Singh Raja Warring accused both the Punjab and union governments of deliberately isolating Punjab’s farmers. Former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and Union Minister of State Ravneet Singh Bittu also criticised the heavy-handed approach, with Bittu questioning why AAP, which had earlier claimed to stand with the farmers, had now turned against them.
Interestingly, while political leaders criticised the crackdown, industrialists hailed it. A report of The Tribune provided that Badish Jindal, president of the World MSME Forum, described the police action as a “welcome step,” arguing that punishing the farmers for disrupting business was necessary. This contrast in reactions further underscores the economic motivations behind the Punjab government’s sudden crackdown.
The farmers’ perspective: broken trust and continued struggle
For the protesting farmers, the crackdown represents a deep betrayal. Their demands—including a legal guarantee for MSP, debt waivers, and pensions for farm labourers—have been repeatedly dismissed or delayed by the union government. Despite over a year of protests, the union government has yet to take decisive action. Instead of meaningful engagement, the latest negotiations ended with the union questioning the legitimacy of the farmers’ financial estimates, while a next round of talks was scheduled for May 4.
A report in the Hindustan Times suggests that, the Punjab government’s narrative that the farmers should protest in Delhi rather than in Punjab, has also been met with scepticism. When the Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema defended the police action by stating that the protests were hurting Punjab’s economy, farmers pointed out that their grievances were ignored even when they attempted to engage in talks. The real issue, they argue, is not the location of the protests but the government’s unwillingness to implement structural reforms that would secure their livelihoods.
What beholds the future of the farmers’ movement?
The Punjab government’s crackdown may have cleared the protest sites, but it has also ignited a deeper resentment among farmers, whose trust in AAP has been severely shaken. Far from ending the movement, the heavy-handed action could strengthen resistance in the coming months, especially with crucial negotiations looming. If the government believes that force and industry-backed coercion will silence the demands of Punjab’s farmers, history suggests otherwise.
This episode underscores a troubling pattern: when economic and electoral pressures mount, governments—regardless of their professed allegiance to farmers—quickly abandon them in favour of more influential interests. By choosing to align with industrialists over the agrarian community, the AAP government has not only exposed its shifting priorities but has also set a dangerous precedent where dissent is managed through suppression rather than dialogue.
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