Punjab Government Faces Backlash After Police Action Against MGNREGA Workers in Khanna

New Delhi, July 15: In Khanna, located in Punjab’s Ludhiana district, police resorted to baton charges and fired tear gas during a protest by MGNREGA workers. The Punjab Congress has strongly condemned the government’s actions.

Aam Aadmi Party’s Punjab Congress President, Amarinder Singh Raja Wading, expressed his outrage over the incident. He shared a video of the event on the social media platform X, stating that it was disheartening to witness peaceful protesters chanting “Satnam Waheguru” while demanding their pending wages. Instead of listening to their grievances, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s government responded with tear gas.

“When workers, who are merely asking for their hard-earned wages, are treated like criminals, it raises serious questions about the government’s priorities. A government that claims to stand with farmers and laborers should listen to their voices rather than forcibly silence them. Punjab deserves compassion, accountability, and justice, not oppression,” he wrote.

The Punjab Congress also condemned the police action through a social media post. It highlighted that workers were peacefully chanting “Satnam Waheguru” while demanding eight months of overdue wages, yet they were met with tear gas instead of dialogue. The video from Khanna exposes the anti-labor stance of the Bhagwant Mann government.

“Those who have contributed to Punjab’s progress through hard work are now facing government repression for demanding their rights. Is this what the Aam Aadmi Party’s so-called change means?” the post questioned.

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Sukjinder Singh Randhawa also expressed his anger, stating that MGNREGA workers have been waiting for their wages for eight months. When they peacefully sought their rights, they were met with tear gas and police action instead of dialogue. “Demanding one’s rights in a democracy is not a crime. The government’s primary duty is to pay the workers their overdue wages and ensure a fair investigation into this incident. Respect honest workers and deliver justice to them,” he urged.