Thu Mar 20 06:15:33 UTC 2025: ## Punjab Police Evict Farmers From Protest Sites, Sparking Tensions

**Chandigarh, March 20, 2025** – Haryana and Punjab police carried out a major crackdown on Thursday, evicting farmers from protest sites at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders that had been active for over a year. Authorities removed cemented barricades and dismantled temporary structures using heavy machinery, reopening the Shambhu-Ambala road, which had been blocked since February 2024.

The action followed a meeting in Chandigarh between protesting farmers and a central government delegation led by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. While the meeting discussed farmer demands, including a law guaranteeing minimum support prices (MSP) for crops, the subsequent police action has ignited widespread condemnation.

Several farmer leaders, including Sarwan Singh Pandher and Jagjit Singh Dallewal, were detained by Punjab Police. Farmer groups, Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, have announced dharnas outside deputy commissioner offices in protest. They accuse the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab of collaborating with the central government in the crackdown.

Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema defended the government’s actions, stating that the prolonged blockade had severely impacted businesses and industries. He insisted the AAP government supports the farmers’ demands but urged them to focus their protests on the central government.

However, farmer leaders vehemently reject this claim, asserting that the roadblocks were a response to the central government’s actions and that their demands are directly aimed at the Centre. They have vowed to intensify their agitation. The situation remains tense, with the potential for further escalation.

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