PHAGWARA: The Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) Doaba, under the leadership of State General Secretary Satnam Singh Sahni, today held a state-level meeting at Gurudwara Sukhchiana Sahib, Phagwara, to strategize a protest against the Punjab government. The meeting was convened in response to the arrest of Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) and Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) (Non-Political) leaders at the Shambhu and Khanouri borders on March 19.
During the meeting, Satnam Singh Sahni strongly condemned the AAP-led Punjab government, calling the arrests an “act of cowardice.” He alleged that the detained leaders were taken into custody while returning from a meeting in Chandigarh, and despite several days passing, they had not been released. He further accused the Punjab Police of using excessive force, accompanied by bulldozers, to dismantle farmers’ protest setups at the Shambhu and Khanouri borders.
Leaders at the meeting also alleged that along with state police, miscreant AAP volunteers looted farmers’ belongings, including tractor-trolleys, washing machines, and other household appliances, from the protest sites. Expressing their strong resentment, BKU (Doaba) members criticized the state government for failing to take action against those responsible for the alleged looting.
To intensify their opposition, the leaders unanimously decided to organize a protest at the SDM Office in Phillaur, Jalandhar district, on March 24, . As part of the demonstration, BKU (Doaba) members plan to burn an effigy of the Punjab government and demand the immediate release of the arrested KMM and SKM (Non-Political) leaders. They warned that if their demands were not met, a larger agitation would be launched.
The situation remains tense as farmer organizations continue to express discontent over the state government’s handling of the protests. All eyes will be on the March 24 demonstration and the government’s response in the coming days.