A crucial meeting between the Punjab Government and farmer unions, scheduled for 4 pm on Friday at Punjab Bhawan, Chandigarh, was called off after major farmer organizations refused to participate, escalating tensions between the two sides.
The Punjab chapter of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) — the pan-India farmers’ body; and Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) Ugrahan — Punjab’s biggest farmers’ union were invited by the government for discussions on ongoing farmer grievances. However, the unions boycotted the meeting, citing the recent police crackdown on protesting farmers at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders and the detention of key farmer leaders, including jagjit Singh Dallewal, who has been on fast since November 26 last.
Farmer leader Joginder Singh Ugrahan, who heads BKU Ugrahan, laid down three key conditions before agreeing to any discussions. “Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann must be present at the meeting; immediate release of all arrested farmers and leaders detained during the March 19 crackdown; and the return of confiscated belongings, including tractors and personal items,” he said.
Ugrahan emphasized that farmers are not against dialogue but insisted that meaningful negotiations can only take place in a “conducive environment”. He recalled a previous meeting with CM Mann on March 3, which was abruptly cut short when Mann walked out, raising doubts about the government’s sincerity.
The boycott follows the March 19 police action, during which farmer leaders and protesters at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders were forcibly removed. Many were detained, and their belongings were either confiscated or scattered across fields. According to farmer groups, several demonstrators were arrested outside Deputy Commissioner (DC) offices while protesting against police action.
The arrests have sparked legal challenges. The Punjab and Haryana High Court has sought a status report from the Punjab DGP by March 24 regarding the detention of farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal and others. Additionally, 101 farmers, including Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) leader Sarwan Singh Pandher, have been sent to Patiala Central Jail.
Sources indicated that CM Bhagwant Mann was unavailable for Friday evening’s meeting as he was scheduled to attend a delimitation meeting in Chennai convened by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin. This absence further fueled suspicion among farmer leaders, who accused the government of trying to divide and weaken the movement.
Guramneet Singh Mangat, a leader of SKM (Non-Political), criticized the government’s approach, stating, “The government fears a unified farmer movement and is attempting to use a divide-and-rule strategy by selectively inviting unions to talks.”
In response to the boycott, farmer organizations have announced a day-long protest in Chandigarh on March 26 and have urged the government to allocate a designated protest site.
Meanwhile, the Khanauri border, which had remained closed for 13 months due to protests, was reopened on March 22, restoring movement on the Delhi-Patiala highway. Earlier, the Shambhu border between Ambala and Patiala was also reopened, allowing traffic to resume on the Delhi-Amritsar-Jammu highway. The reopening follows the Punjab government’s forceful eviction of protesters from both sites.
