Ludhiana witnessed a dramatic escalation in the ongoing farmers’ protest as tensions erupted outside Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) on Thursday. A group of farmers gathered to meet their leader, Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who has been detained and hospitalized since Tuesday. Their demands to meet Dallewal were met with a heavy police presence, culminating in a heated confrontation that resulted in the detention of two protesting farmers.
The agitated farmers staged a dharna outside the Out-Patient Department (OPD) of the hospital, raising slogans against the Punjab Government for what they termed as suppressing their democratic movement. The protests stemmed from the refusal of authorities to grant access to Dallewal, whose detention has become a flashpoint for the larger farmer agitation.
Dallewal, a prominent farmer leader, was taken into police custody 58 hours ago to prevent him from starting a fast-unto-death at the Khanauri border on November 26. He was later transferred to DMCH for medical observation. Farmers alleged that Dallewal has been kept incommunicado, with neither visitors allowed nor any communication permitted with him since his detention. It has been learnt that Dallewal has been continuing his fast under detention.
The situation outside DMCH remained tense throughout Thursday. Farmers demanded clarity on who ordered Dallewal’s detention and insisted on his immediate release. Police officials, however, stood firm, citing directives from higher authorities.
An altercation ensued, with farmers questioning the legality of the detention and demanding the presence of senior officials on the spot. When their demands went unmet, they intensified their protests, leading to a temporary shutdown of hospital services. Police ultimately detained two farmers to diffuse the situation, though many protesters remained stationed outside DMCH, vowing not to leave without meeting their leader.
A video message by Dallewal’s grandson, Jigarjot Singh, added fuel to the fire. “My grandfather is a man of resolve who won’t bow to any pressure,” he said, urging the farmers to intensify the protests. This call resonated strongly, as groups of farmers from various districts, including a contingent of over 100 farmers from Amritsar’s Pandher Kalan village, moved towards Khanauri to strengthen the ongoing agitation.
The protests have been fueled by unresolved issues, including the implementation of Minimum Support Price (MSP) guarantees and other agricultural reforms. Farmer leaders have accused the Punjab Government of betraying their cause, claiming that it has adopted oppressive tactics similar to those of the Central Government.
“Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann once claimed to be the farmers’ advocate, yet his actions now mirror those of the BJP-led Central Government,” said Sarwan Singh Pandher, a senior farmer leader, leading the current agitation along with Dallewal.
At the Khanauri border, a meeting of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) outlined the next steps. The farmers announced a demonstration against Chief Minister Mann in Sangrur on December 2 and issued a 10-day ultimatum for meaningful dialogue. If no resolution is achieved, they plan to march to Delhi on December 6, this time without tractors, opting for a symbolic foot march.
As the Dallewal-led movement enters its third day, the Punjab Government appears to be scrambling to contain the fallout. Emergency meetings with police and farmer representatives have yet to yield tangible results. Meanwhile, farmers have categorically stated that negotiations will only proceed if Dallewal is brought back to the protest site at Shambhu border.
