Haryana removes barricades,  farmers’ protests escalate as leaders detained

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The North News

Chandigarh, March 20

Security has been tightened at the Haryana-Punjab Shambhu border after Haryana Police removed concrete barricades that had been restricting the movement of protesting farmers. The barriers were dismantled using bulldozers on Thursday, a day after Punjab Police cleared the protest site.

Meanwhile, farmer organisations have intensified demonstrations across Punjab in response to the arrests of key leaders, including Jagjit Singh Dallewal and Sarwan Singh Pandher. The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have announced nationwide protests outside deputy commissioners’ offices.

Punjab Police detained Dallewal and Pandher on Wednesday after their meeting with central government officials in Chandigarh ended without a breakthrough. The seventh round of talks between farmers and the Centre lasted nearly four hours but concluded without a resolution. Union Ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Piyush Goyal, and Pralhad Joshi, along with Punjab Ministers Lal Chand Kataruchak and Gurmeet Singh Khudian, held discussions with farmer representatives. The talks focused on key demands, including a legal guarantee on Minimum Support Price (MSP), loan waivers, pensions for farmers and agricultural workers, a halt to electricity tariff hikes, and the withdrawal of cases against protesters.

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan described the talks as “constructive” and said another round of discussions is scheduled for 4 May. Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema confirmed that the Centre had appointed an officer to facilitate further negotiations.

Despite the ongoing discussions, farmer unions have vowed to continue their agitation. They are also demanding justice for victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence and compensation for families of farmers who died during the 2020-21 protests.