Ahead of the scheduled week-long protests by the Punjab division of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), including the ‘Chandigarh Chalo’ march on March 4, several union leaders were reportedly taken into custody during late-night police raids between Monday night and Tuesday morning. The crackdown occurred just hours after a meeting between SKM leaders and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann came to an abrupt halt. According to the Indian Express, the SKM, a coalition of 37 farmers’ unions, accused the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann of walking out of the discussions without provocation.
#WATCH | Chandigarh: After farmer leaders’ meeting with Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal says, “The meeting was going on well, and we were coming to agreements on several issues. After we came to an agreement on the eighth issue, the CM said he wanted… pic.twitter.com/N9oDH9c7zx
— ANI (@ANI) March 4, 2025
On Monday evening, CM Mann reportedly left the meeting midway, after which police began raiding the homes of various SKM leaders. In a viral video, Gurmeet Singh Mehma, the state general secretary of the Krantikari Kisan Union, alleged that he was taken into preventive custody from his residence in Ferozepur at 3 am. Other detained leaders included Jangveer Singh Chauhan, Manjeet Raj, and Surjeet Singh, who were taken into custody from Tanda, Barnala, and Moga, respectively.
Authorities also attempted to detain Joginder Singh Ugrahan, the head of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) Ugrahan, but were unable to locate him. Mahesh Chander Sharma, chief secretary of BKU Rajewal, and Harinder Singh Lakhowal, leader of BKU Lakhowal, were detained from their residences in Ludhiana and Mohali.
Lakhowal criticized the government’s actions, stating, “The police are raiding the houses of SKM leaders. Punjab CM abruptly walked out of the meeting with farmer leaders, and instead of addressing our demands, the government is resorting to arrests.”
In Bathinda, BKU Ugrahan leader Gulab Singh claimed that police officers attempted to enter his home at 4 am on Tuesday. However, they left after farmers gathered in protest. Singh further alleged that officers were climbing walls and forcing entry into the homes of union leaders.
Former Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal condemned the arrests, calling Bhagwant Mann an “arrogant CM” and accusing him of suppressing democracy. Posting on X, he stated, “Instead of apologizing for the mistreatment of farmer leaders last evening, Bhagwant Mann has started arresting them. Power is not eternal—Punjab’s proud people will soon teach you a lesson.”
In response to the detentions, SKM leaders convened an emergency meeting in Ludhiana on Tuesday to strategize for the upcoming protest. Reports indicate that the farmers have presented a list of 18 demands, with around 12 pertaining directly to state-related issues. Farmers previously staged a week-long protest in Chandigarh in September last year, and they continue to demand an allocated space for their demonstrations in the city. The latest crackdown has intensified tensions, with farmers determined to proceed with their planned march despite government resistance.
