Chandigarh, September 1: Hundreds of farmers from Punjab have blocked one of the main access routes to Chandigarh as they begin a week-long protest. Their demands include a guaranteed minimum support price (MSP) for all crops, in line with the recommendations of the Dr. Swaminathan Commission report.
To prevent any untoward incidents, heavy security has been deployed across Chandigarh and Punjab.
Under the banner of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), farmers have parked their tractor-trailers along a busy road leading to Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport and set up tents for the protest, which will continue until September 7.
As evening approaches, the crowd is expected to swell, with hundreds of farmers being transported to the protest site with supplies.
The Chandigarh administration has allocated a protest site in Sector 48 for the SKM, where a large stage has been erected for speakers to address the demonstrators.
This movement may cause difficulties for those traveling to the airport, especially with the commencement of the seven-day protest. However, protesters have been allowed to park their vehicles on one side of the two-lane highway.
Mohali Deputy Commissioner Komal Mittal stated that efforts will be made to keep one side of the road open for two-way traffic. The SKM comprises 32 farmer organizations, including the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) Rajwal, Kirti Kisan Union, and Punjab Kisan Union. Notably, the BKU Ugrahan, an allied member of the SKM, is not participating in this protest.
In addition to their primary demands, the SKM is calling for a special assembly session to annul all previous agreements related to river water in Punjab, restore state representation in the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), repeal the Dam Safety Act, and withdraw the 2024 Disaster Management Act.
In Punjab, the BKU (Ugrahan) initiated an indefinite protest outside the offices of Deputy Commissioners in 17 districts on August 30, opposing what they describe as anti-farmer decisions and policies from both state and central governments.
The BKU (Ugrahan) is also demanding the cancellation of the India-U.S. trade agreement, the abolition of Punjab’s land pooling policy, the termination of ownership rights for tenant farmers, and complete loan waivers for farmers and laborers.
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