A day after the Punjab Police detained hundreds of protesting farmers — including key leaders of various farmer unions — while they attempted to march towards Chandigarh as part of the ‘Chandigarh Chalo’ agitation, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Thursday called off the protest and announced a new strategy targeting the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislators. The decision was taken following a crucial meeting of SKM leaders in Ludhiana, where it was resolved that farmers would stage demonstrations outside the residences of all AAP MLAs on March 10.
The decision marked an escalation in SKM’s protest strategy, shifting focus from continuous sit-ins to direct political confrontation with the ruling party. The farmers’ anger has intensified following Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s abrupt exit from a meeting with SKM leaders, which was convened to resolve their long-standing demands and avert a planned ‘Chandigarh Chalo’ protest on March 5.
Notably, SKM had given the call for ‘Chandigarh Chalo’ for March 5 (that is Wednesday) to pressure the government into addressing long-standing demands, including a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP), ownership rights for hereditary tenant farmers, and compensation for crop losses, among others. However, as the police cracked down on protestors, the farmers’ leadership decided to shift gears, calling off their indefinite dharnas and instead launching a fresh phase of agitation.
Following a crucial meeting in Ludhiana on Thursday, the SKM leaders announced that farmers would stage demonstrations outside the residences of all AAP MLAs across Punjab on March 10.
Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) Lakhowal president Harinder Singh Lakhowal said that the protests, scheduled between 11 am and 3 pm, would serve as a direct message to the state government. “The Punjab Government has repeatedly failed to address even the most basic demands of the farmers. The Chief Minister’s conduct during our last meeting was disrespectful and dismissive. We are left with no choice but to escalate our movement,” said Lakhowal.
The SKM has also planned a major march toward the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s residence on March 15, signaling that the confrontation is far from over.
Tensions between farmers and the Punjab Government reached a boiling point after a meeting between farmer leaders and Chief Minister Mann ended in acrimony two days ago. The farmers sought urgent resolutions on key demands, including pending sugarcane payments and compensation for damaged crops. However, discussions collapsed when Mann abruptly walked out, leaving farmers feeling betrayed.
Following this, SKM declared its intent to hold a major sit-in at Chandigarh. Anticipating large-scale protests, the Punjab Government imposed a security clampdown, sealing 18 entry points into Chandigarh, placing key farmer leaders under house arrest, and deploying riot police to prevent any movement toward the state capital. The crackdown sparked immediate outrage, with farmers launching spontaneous sit-ins across Punjab on Wednesday.
The SKM-led movement, which previously focused on pressuring the Central Government, has now turned its ire toward the Punjab Government. During the 2020-21 farmers' protest, the agitation was largely aimed at the Centre’s now-repealed farm laws. However, farmer leaders now accuse the AAP Government of reneging on its promises despite having positioned itself as a pro-farmer party before elections.
“Our fight began with the Central Government, but now even Punjab’s own government has abandoned us. The AAP Government made big promises but refuses to engage in genuine dialogue,” said Lakhowal.
Punjab Government has yet to issue a formal response to SKM’s latest announcement. However, AAP’s growing friction with Punjab’s farming community is expected to have serious political ramifications.
AAP, which rode to power on the back of farmer support, now faces a backlash from the same voter base. Opposition parties — including the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Congress, and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — are closely watching the situation, sensing an opportunity to capitalize on AAP’s deepening troubles.
Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, criticized the Chief Minister for his shameful handling of the meeting with the SKM. “It is appalling that CM Bhagwant Mann chose to walk out of a meeting with our farmers rather than addressing their concerns. To add insult to injury, the government has deployed heavy police forces to suppress potential protests. This is the height of arrogance and indifference towards those who work day and night to feed the nation,” he said.