The Punjab government’s handling of the ongoing farmers’ agitation has triggered a political storm, with opposition leaders condemning the detention of farmer leaders ahead of a major protest. Former Punjab Chief Minister and Congress leader Charanjit Singh Channi made a dramatic entry into the Gharaun police station in Chamkaur Sahib after learning about the detention of farmer representatives. His move has further intensified the political tensions surrounding the farmers’ protest.
Channi knocked on the main gate of the police station and insisted on meeting the detained leaders. Addressing reporters later, he stated, “I have come to meet the farmers of our area as I heard they were detained to prevent them from mobilizing supporters for the protest in Chandigarh.” He criticized the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led government, accusing Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann of ignoring farmers’ grievances and resorting to oppressive measures. “First, the Chief Minister walked out of the meeting, and now, when farmers want to protest democratically, they are being detained. This is unacceptable,” he added.
The protest, organized by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), is set to begin with a week-long sit-in demonstration in Chandigarh. However, the city administration has yet to allocate a location for the demonstration. The SKM, which played a key role in the 2020 protests against the now-repealed farm laws, is demanding the withdrawal of the Centre’s draft of the National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing. They are also pushing for a legal guarantee for the Minimum Support Price (MSP) based on the Swaminathan Commission report and the inclusion of six key crops—including basmati, maize, moong, and potato—under the state’s MSP procurement scheme.
Tensions escalated after talks between the farmers and the Punjab government collapsed on Monday. According to farmer leaders, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann abruptly left the meeting without provocation. Mann, however, justified his stance, urging the farmers to reconsider their protest, citing public inconvenience. He also assured them that his government remains open to discussions.
The Punjab Congress has seized the opportunity to target the Mann government. State Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring criticized Mann in a social media post, stating, “Punjab’s farmers are not your opponents; they are the backbone of our economy. If they can’t talk to their own Chief Minister, where will they go?”
Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa echoed similar sentiments, condemning the crackdown on farmer leaders. He accused Mann of turning Punjab into a “dictatorial state” and urged AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal to consider replacing Mann as Chief Minister with someone more “sincere and sophisticated.”
Meanwhile, the Punjab Police have registered an FIR against Pakistani national Ali Sheikh, allegedly linked to Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi’s wife, Elizabeth Gogoi. The controversy continues to unfold as political parties strategize their positions ahead of the upcoming elections. The farmers, undeterred by government actions, remain firm in their resolve, setting the stage for another major confrontation between the state and its agrarian community.
