CHANDIGARH: A day ahead of the protest announced by Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM Non Political) outside the Shambhu police station, farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal was placed under house arrest at his village in Faridkot district.
Many other farmer leaders and activists across the State have been detained and placed under house arrest to prevent any law and order issues.
Sources said that a police team reached Dallewal’s village early on May 5 and was asked to stay indoors for at least three to four days.
Dallewal uploaded a video of his detention on Facebook, criticising the police action against the Sidhupur faction. He said that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government is harassing the farmers’ rights group, which is fighting for justice.
Dallewal alleged that when the farmers were forcibly evicted from Khanauri and Shambhu by the police, they allegedly faced police misconduct. He also alleged that several of their belongings, including tractors, went missing.
The government then ensured that losses would be compensated.
"However, when we demanded compensation for the missing items, traced to close associates of AAP leaders and police personnel, the police started booking cases against farmers instead of taking action against the culprits," he said.
"Now, when we have planned a protest on May 6 against the conduct of the police, the government has attempted to derail our agitation,’’ he said.
"I can barely walk and yet they have confined me to my home. We had only announced a one-day peaceful protest outside the Shambhu police station. People must rise and speak out, or they will silence all our voices,’’ he said.
Bharatiya Kisan Union (Doaba) president Manjit Singh Rai and other leaders of the union, including vice president Davinder Singh Sandhwan and general secretary Satnam Singh Sahni, were placed under house arrest.
Other leaders like Baldev Singh Sirsa were also confined to their homes.
The farmers' unions were planning to send their representatives for the protest planned at the Shambhu police station on a call given by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political).
The protest was aimed against the alleged injuries sustained by farmers in the police action at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders on March 19. The cadres of the BKU (Doaba) intended to assemble at the Ladowal toll plaza from where they would head to the Shambhu police station.
While the state police called the detention of farmers, putting up special nakas at strategic points on the highways and link roads, a routine measure to maintain law and order, the farmer leaders were taken by surprise to see that almost all roads connecting their houses with the highways were sealed.
However, the police did not announce any detentions officially.
After the detentions of the farmer leaders, issuing a strong warning, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann wrote on X, "Any announcements, protests or strikes in Punjab that involve blocking roads or railways to cause inconvenience to the general public and disrupt daily life will be considered as acts against the public."
"All organisations, unions and groups are advised to take note of it. There are other ways to express opposition, troubling the people is not right. Otherwise, be prepared for strict legal action, issued in the interest of the hardworking people of Punjab,” he said.