‘Deception’: Congress leaders condemn detention of farmers in Punjab, stress right to protest

New Delhi, March 20 (IANS) With the Punjab Police clearing out protesting farmers from their sites near the Shambhu Border with Haryana and detaining their leaders, Congress leaders voiced strong criticism of the state’s Bhagwant Mann government, accusing it of deceiving the farmers, and emphasising that if farmers wish to hold an agitation, they should be allowed to do so without interference.

Speaking to IANS, prominent Congress leader Imran Masood voiced his dismay at the situation, calling attention to the alarming crisis facing India’s farming community.

He pointed out the tragic reality that more than 2,600 farmers had taken their own lives in recent years, yet their struggles remain largely ignored by the authorities.

“Farmers across the country are being killed, their rights are being stripped away, and yet, by spreading division and hatred, the government seeks to distract from these critical issues,” he added.

He highlighted the case of Maharashtra’s farmers, where even the most decorated farmers had fallen victim to despair, culminating in suicides.

“We cannot keep turning a blind eye to this crisis,” Masood said, warning that the government’s tactics are endangering the country’s future.

Punjab leader Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa condemned the actions of the authorities, calling the detentions a clear betrayal of trust.

“This is an outright deception,” Randhawa remarked, emphasising that after holding talks with the farmers, they were detained without cause.

“The government has broken trust and demonstrated dishonesty by detaining peaceful protesters,” he said, describing the situation as a betrayal of the people’s faith in the system.

Congress spokesperson Gurjeet Singh Aujla joined in the chorus of criticism, denouncing the detentions as undemocratic.

“How can you arrest people after inviting them to a meeting? This is not how negotiations work,” he added.

He continued to stress that even in times of conflict, countries come together for dialogue, but here, arrests followed peaceful talks, which he labelled as unacceptable.

Aujla further claimed that the situation in Punjab had deteriorated under the combined mismanagement of the BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

“In just three years, the atmosphere in Punjab has turned toxic – bulldozers are running, extortion is rampant, and the state is crumbling. For years, we’ve warned the government in Parliament and the Vidhan Sabha that Punjab’s condition was worsening, but they ignored us. Now, the damage is evident.”

Aujla also questioned Punjab Chief Minister Mann’s sincerity.

“Mann claims to stand with the farmers, but his actions suggest otherwise. If he truly supports them, he should allow the detained farmers to travel to Delhi. They shouldn’t be stopped,” Aujla said, demanding that the detained leaders be allowed to protest peacefully in Delhi at Jantar Mantar, where their voices could be heard.

“If the CM is genuinely with the farmers, then he must ensure they are given the space to protest in Delhi without interference,” he added.

On the other hand, Aam Aadmi Party leader Sandeep Pathak claimed that while the farmers’ demands are legitimate, their method of protest – blocking roads and staging sit-ins – is causing more harm than good to local communities.

“We agree with many of the farmers’ demands, but blocking roads and causing chaos only affects local people, small businesses, and daily commuters. If their grievances are with the central government, then the protest should be focused there, not in Punjab,” Pathak added.

He also criticised the Central government and Congress for using the farmers’ protests to further their political agendas, destabilising the region in the process.

“While we acknowledge that the Central government has not met the farmers’ demands, the real question is who can truly address these needs? If there’s a consensus across the nation, the Central government should step in and take responsibility,” Pathak concluded, urging a more targeted approach to resolving the farmers’ issues.

Around 500-700 farmers were detained at the Khanauri border, as Punjab Police dismantled protest sites that had been in place since February of the previous year. Meanwhile, in neighbouring Haryana, bulldozers were deployed to remove barricades that had been put up to block farmers from marching toward Delhi.

These swift actions came after several prominent leaders behind the protests were detained, including well-known activists such as Jagjit Singh Dallewal and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha head Sarvan Singh Pandher, both of whom were arrested while leading protests at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders.

–IANS

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