Chandigarh: Thousands of farmers from across Punjab converged on Chandigarh on Friday, launching a major demonstration against the proposed India-US trade agreement, the Punjab government’s new land pooling policy, and soaring inflation. Organised jointly by the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta-Ugrahan) and the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta-Dakaunda), the rally drew a substantial number of participants, including a large turnout of women and youth, bringing vehicular movement to a standstill across key parts of the city. The protesters initially gathered at the Sector 34 Exhibition Ground before launching a march towards Matka Chowk, raising slogans against both the Central and state governments.
Addressing the large gathering, BKU (Ekta-Ugrahan) State President Joginder Singh Ugrahan and BKU (Ekta-Dakaunda) State President Manjit Singh Dhaner warned that the impending trade pact with the United States would have devastating consequences for India’s agrarian economy, small-scale industries, and local traders. The leaders argued that opening the domestic market to highly subsidised American agricultural imports and industrial goods would decry small landholders and dismantle domestic manufacturing capabilities. They accused the Central Government of buckling under international pressure and compromising national interests.
The agitation also focused heavily on regional grievances, with farm union leaders strongly condemning the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab Government’s proposed land pooling policy. Protesters alleged that the scheme is designed to facilitate the corporate takeover of fertile agricultural land for real estate development. Senior leaders Jhanda Singh Jethuke and Gurdeep Singh Rampura further expanded the scope of the rally by condemning US military actions against Iran, asserting that global geopolitical conflicts are being leveraged as an excuse to burden common citizens with inflated fuel and cooking gas prices. They demanded an immediate rollback on petrol, diesel, and LPG price hikes, suggesting the government tax multinational corporations instead.
The demonstration concluded with the passing of a formal resolution demanding the lifting of the recent ban on the Punjabi film “Satluj”, a movie starring Diljit Dosanjh that was abruptly pulled from a digital streaming platform. Women’s leader Harinder Bindu and BKU (Ekta-Dakaunda) leader Angrez Singh Bhadaur both made passionate appeals for societal unity across different working classes, urging citizens to remain vigilant against divisive communal politics while continuing to fight for fair economic policies.
