one-way-traffic-reopens-at-shambhu-khanauri-borders

A day after Punjab Police dismantled temporary structures and detained protesting farmers, traffic resumed on the Shambhu-Ambala Highway on Thursday after being blocked for more than a year. 

The Khanauri border point is also in the process of reopening, with Haryana Police actively removing roadblocks from their side.

As clearance operations continued, angry farmers staged demonstrations across Punjab, including in Moga, Tarn Taran, Muktsar, and Faridkot, to protest against the previous evening's crackdown. In Moga, a scuffle broke out between police personnel and a group of farmers, including women, who were heading to the deputy commissioner's office to hold a demonstration.

Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), in a statement issued from Delhi, reiterated its support for farmers but emphasised the need to reopen key roads to protect Punjab’s economy.

#WATCH | Punjab Police demolished the tents erected by farmers at the Punjab-Haryana Shambhu Border, where they were sitting on a protest over various demands.

The farmers are also being removed from the Punjab-Haryana Shambhu Border. pic.twitter.com/TzRZKEjvXD

— ANI (@ANI) March 19, 2025

Farmers condemn AAP government's actions

Protesting farmers strongly criticised the AAP-led Punjab government for ordering the removal of protesters and the detention of farmer leaders. They had been camping at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points since February 13 last year after their planned march to Delhi was blocked by security forces. 

Over time, farmers erected makeshift structures on the highways to support their prolonged agitation.

Haryana Police had previously fortified these border points with cement barricades, iron nails, and barbed wire to prevent farmers from advancing toward the national capital. Consequently, traffic on the Shambhu-Ambala and Sangrur-Jind roads remained suspended for over a year.

Road clearance operations underway

On Thursday, Haryana security personnel began dismantling the barricades on their side of the Shambhu-Ambala Highway, gradually restoring normal traffic flow. 

 

Also Read: Farmers 'under attack' in govt 'conspiracy': Channi

At the same time, Punjab Police resumed operations to clear the remaining temporary structures from the Punjab side of the Shambhu and Khanauri points. Authorities moved trolleys to an open ground, allowing farmers to retrieve them later by providing identity proof.

Patiala Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Nanak Singh confirmed that all semi-permanent structures and protest materials were being cleared and estimated that traffic at Shambhu would be fully restored within a few hours. 

Inspector General of Police (Ambala Range) Sibash Kabiraj stated that Haryana authorities were also working to ensure full clearance by Thursday evening.

Farmers announce statewide protests

In response to the crackdown, Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha announced plans for fresh demonstrations. They called for sit-in protests outside deputy commissioners’ offices across Punjab and other states to denounce the Punjab Police’s actions and the detention of farmer leaders.

Farmers gathered in multiple districts, including Gidderbaha (Muktsar) and Moga, where women demonstrators clashed with police while attempting to reach the deputy commissioner's office. On Wednesday, Punjab Police detained several key farmer leaders, including Sarwan Singh Pandher and Jagjit Singh Dallewal, in Mohali. 

#WATCH | Visuals from the Punjab-Haryana Shambhu border, where the process of opening the road for traffic movement is underway

Yesterday, late in the evening, Punjab police removed the farmers from here, temporary structures erected by them were also removed. pic.twitter.com/0q0TJZAOoB

— ANI (@ANI) March 20, 2025

Their detention followed their participation in a meeting in Chandigarh with a central delegation led by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and attended by Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi and Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal. 

The discussions centered on the farmers' primary demand for a legal guarantee on the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops.

As the detained leaders returned to Mohali, they were met with heavy barricading and police intervention, leading to their arrests and subsequent transport to an undisclosed location.

Punjab government defends action

Amid growing criticism, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema defended the state government’s actions, asserting that the prolonged blockade at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points had severely impacted Punjab’s economy and industrial growth.

“Punjab’s trade has suffered due to the closure of these highways for over a year. We stand with the farmers and support their demands, but blocking Punjab’s roads is not the solution. Their fight is against the Centre, and they should direct their protests accordingly,” Cheema stated.

He further emphasised that Punjab’s economic decline—from being a top contributor to India’s GDP in 2003 to its current 19th position—was partly due to industries avoiding the state. Cheema also highlighted the urgent need to generate employment and combat Punjab’s drug crisis, which he linked to the closure of business avenues due to prolonged protests.

 

Also read: Heavy deployment at Shambhu after farmers protest crackdown

 

Farmer leaders condemn crackdown

Several farmer leaders condemned both the Punjab and Haryana governments for their handling of the situation. Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC) leader Satnam Singh Pannu accused the state and central governments of orchestrating a “murder of democratic rights.”

“The farmers were peacefully protesting for their rights, but the government chose repression over dialogue. The Haryana government acted at the Centre’s behest by barricading roads and using force against our movement,” Pannu alleged. He warned that the actions of both the AAP-led Punjab government and the BJP-led Centre would have political consequences.

KMSC leader Sukhwinder Singh also criticised the government’s approach, stating, “Farmers never blocked the roads; it was the Centre that did. Even now, we want to march to Delhi because our demands need to be addressed by the central government.”

#WATCH | Amritsar, Punjab | On protesting farmers removed from Shambu and Khanauri borders, Shiromani Akal Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia says, "...Before coming to power in Punjab, AAP had made many promises to farmers and did not fulfill any of them... AAP allowed farmers to… pic.twitter.com/pdCreyAM24

— ANI (@ANI) March 20, 2025

Farmers vow to intensify agitation

The protesting farmer groups have vowed to escalate their agitation, with thousands of farmers, including women, expected to participate in upcoming demonstrations. The protests are set to take place across various locations in an effort to pressure the government into fulfilling their demands.

Meanwhile, farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who has been on an indefinite fast since November 26 last year, was transferred to Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences in Jalandhar for medical attention before being moved to an undisclosed location.

The farmer protests at the Shambhu (Shambhu-Ambala) and Khanauri (Sangrur-Jind) border points began on February 13 last year when farmers attempted a ‘Delhi Chalo’ march but were halted by security forces. 

The movement, primarily led by Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, aimed to push for a legal guarantee on MSP and other agricultural reforms.

With barricades now removed but fresh protests announced, tensions between farmers and authorities remain high, setting the stage for further confrontations in the coming days.

 

Also Read: AAP failed to deliver on farmer promises: Majithia