The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) has decided to withdraw all its ongoing protests in Punjab after a meeting in Ludhiana.
However, the group has announced a new plan to protest against the AAP government by holding demonstrations outside the residences of all AAP MLAs on March 10. According to SKM leader Baldev Singh Nihalgarh, this move is meant to express anger towards the government.
The decision to change strategy came after Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann walked out of a meeting with SKM leaders. The meeting was arranged to discuss the farmers’ demands and persuade them to cancel a planned protest on March 5.
Earlier, farmers had called off their protest in Chandigarh after the Punjab Police released Bhartiya Kisan Union leader Joginder Singh Ugrahan, who had been detained in Sangrur. The farmers stated that they would wait for another round of discussions with the government before deciding their next steps.
The Punjab Police had prevented farmers from reaching Chandigarh for the week-long dharna planned by SKM. Checkpoints were set up across Punjab, and security was tightened at all entry points to Chandigarh.
Farmers who tried to travel in tractor-trolleys and other vehicles were stopped by police at various locations. SKM strongly criticized the AAP government, claiming that the administration was suppressing their voices instead of addressing their demands.
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SKM had organised the protest to push for minimum support price (MSP) on six crops by the Punjab government. As farmers attempted to move toward Chandigarh, many were detained by the police, while others staged protests wherever they were stopped.
Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Ropar Range, Harcharan Singh Bhullar, stated that farmers would not be allowed to enter Chandigarh under any circumstances. He added that local police stopped farmers in their respective areas and confirmed that the situation remained peaceful across Punjab. The Punjab and Chandigarh police worked together to ensure the protest did not escalate.
The heavy police presence and security checks caused major traffic jams on roads leading to Chandigarh, including the Chandigarh-Zirakpur highway. Commuters were stuck in long queues for hours, leading to frustration. A traveler coming from Ambala said he was stuck in traffic for more than an hour.
Chandigarh Superintendent of Police Geetanjali Khandelwal stated that barricades were set up at all entry points, and police were conducting strict checking to control the situation. She assured that efforts were being made to minimize inconvenience for the public by diverting traffic when needed.
Meanwhile, the Chandigarh administration denied permission for the farmers' sit-in protest at Sector 34 in the city.
Also Read: Farmers call off Chandigarh protest
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