Road reopens after Punjab police crackdown on protesting farmers

Punjab Police reopened National Highway 44 after 13 months by clearing protest sites. The highway, which connects Srinagar to Kanyakumari, had been blocked since February 2024 due to a farmers' agitation. The move sparked political reactions, with parties expressing different views on the situation.

Farmers' protest site cleared

On Thursday, Punjab Police allowed traffic to move on NH-44 between Ambala and Rajpura. The Shambhu protest site was removed, and the Khanauri protest site was expected to be cleared by Friday. The police dismantled makeshift shelters and removed over 100 tractors and trolleys. Haryana authorities also took down concrete barricades that were set up last year to stop the farmers' march to Delhi.

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Mandeep Singh Sidhu said that Punjab Police ensured a smooth flow of traffic. While commuters were relieved, political leaders reacted strongly.

AAP MP Sanjay Singh stated that while his party supports farmers, blocking roads indefinitely is not a solution. He urged farmers to take their demands for a minimum support price (MSP) guarantee directly to the central government.

Farm leaders, including Sarwan Singh Pandher and Jagjit Singh Dallewal, were detained in Mohali after a failed meeting with Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The meeting, which was the seventh round of talks, ended in a deadlock. The next meeting was scheduled for May 4.

On Wednesday, bulldozers were used to remove temporary shelters at Shambhu and Khanauri, where farmers had been camping since February 2024. The protest was led by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha.

The Punjab Police detained around 600 farmers across seven districts. Many detainees were from the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) and Krantikari Kisan Union. In response, BKU’s Ekta Ugrahan faction burned effigies of the Punjab government at 26 locations across 16 districts.

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Political reactions

The Congress, BJP, and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) criticized the Punjab government's action. Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa called the police action a "betrayal" of farmers. BJP Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu accused the AAP government of trying to disrupt negotiations with the Centre.

SAD leader Sukhbir Singh Badal demanded the release of arrested farmers. He criticized AAP for not standing by farmers despite its earlier promises.

Punjab Cabinet Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar defended the police action, saying that blocking roads harmed the state’s economy. Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema urged farmers to protest in Delhi, as their demands were against the central government.

The highway clearance has eased travel between Punjab and Haryana, but the political debate over the protest continues.