Chandigarh: The Chandigarh-Mohali border turned into a site of intense confrontation on Friday as hundreds of farmers, under the banner of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha Punjab unit, attempted to march toward the Governor’s House. The protesters were stopped by a massive police deployment at the border, where security forces utilized water cannons and tear gas to disperse the crowd after some farmers jumped over barricades. The march, which began at Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nature Park in Mohali, was organized to voice escalating grievances against the Central Government’s recent policy shifts and what farm leaders described as an increasing economic and administrative burden being placed on the state of Punjab.
Central to the agitation is a series of long-pending demands, including a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price and the resolution of river water disputes based on the riparian-basin principle. Farmer leaders, including Joginder Singh Ugrahan and Harinder Singh Lakhowal, specifically targeted the Central Government’s decision to amend the Bhakra Beas Management Board rules, alleging an attempt to end Punjab’s permanent membership. The protesters also demanded the repeal of Sections 78, 79, and 80 of the Punjab Reorganisation Act of 1966, which they claim unconstitutionally transfers control over the state’s waters to the Centre. The recent Dam Safety Act and the Water Amendment Act of 2024 have further fueled resentment, with unions viewing these legislations as an infringement on provincial rights.
The economic distress within the agricultural sector was a significant theme of the Friday protest, with leaders highlighting a substantial cut of 2,400 crore rupees in agricultural loans by NABARD for the year 2026. This reduction has reportedly led cooperative societies to cancel or freeze loan limits, leaving many cultivators struggling to secure credit for the upcoming paddy season. In addition to financial concerns, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha called for the immediate restoration of cancelled loan limits and an uninterrupted eight-hour daily power supply for farming operations. The unions also expressed strong opposition to a proposed free trade agreement with the United States, characterizing it as an anti-agriculture move that would further jeopardize the livelihoods of local producers.
As the situation escalated at the border, several farmers were detained by the police, and union leaders reported that a number of protesters sustained minor injuries during the clash. Despite the use of force, the farm bodies remained firm in their stance, eventually announcing a statewide escalation of their agitation. This includes plans to burn effigies of the Punjab Governor and leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party across various districts in the coming days. The protest underscores a deepening rift between the farming community and the central administration over issues of federalism, resource management, and economic autonomy, with the Samyukta Kisan Morcha warning that the movement will only intensify if their demands regarding Punjab’s rights and agricultural stability are not addressed.
