Chandigarh: Hundreds of farmers from Punjab blocked one of the prominent entry points of Chandigarh, the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana, Tuesday for their weeklong protest over demands, comprising guaranteed minimum support prices (MSP) for all crops as per the Dr Swaminathan Commission report.
Heavy security has been deployed both by Chandigarh and Punjab to prevent any untoward incident.
The farmers under the banner of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) parked their tractor-trailers on one side of the busy road leading to Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport and pitched tents for their sit-in protest that will last till September 7.
The gathering is expected to increase by the evening as hundreds of farmers are being ferried along with ration to the protest site.
The SKM has been allotted a protest site in Sector 48 by the Chandigarh Administration, where a huge stage was erected to address protesters.
People travelling between Mohali and Chandigarh, especially those heading to the airport, could face a harrowing time with the start of the seven-day agitation, despite protesters being allowed to park their vehicles on one side of the two-lane highway.
Mohali Deputy Commissioner Komal Mittal said they would try to keep one side of the two-way traffic on the carriageway open.
The SKM comprises 32 farmer organisations, comprising the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) Rajewal, the Kirti Kisan Union, and the Punjab Kisan Union. However, the BKU Ugrahan, an associate member of the SKM, is not part of this protest.
The SKM has been demanding, among other demands, scrapping all previous agreements concerning Punjab’s river waters by convening a special session of the Assembly, the restoration of the state’s representation in the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), repeal of the Dam Safety Act, and the withdrawal of the Disaster Management Act of 2024.
In Punjab, the BKU (Ugrahan) launched indefinite dharnas August 30 outside the deputy commissioners’ offices in 17 districts against anti-farmer decisions and policies by the state and Central governments.
The BKU (Ugrahan) has been demanding cancellation of the India-US trade deal, and scrapping of Punjab’s land pooling policy, ownership rights to tenant farmers, and a complete waiver of agricultural loans for farmers and labourers.
