Punjab farmers plan highway blockade over stubble FIRs.
SKM leader Balbir Singh Rajewal held both the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab and the BJP-led Central government responsible for the current situation regarding the stubble burning issue. He criticized the Punjab government for not providing adequate support to farmers to manage crop residue, which has forced them into stubble burning. Additionally, he accused the Central government of neglecting the farmers’ plight and failing to implement long-term solutions to the pollution crisis. Rajewal emphasized that both governments have ignored farmers’ demands, leading to the present mess and forcing them to resort to protest actions like highway blockades.
Punjab farmers are set to launch a significant protest on Saturday, voicing grievances over multiple issues affecting the farming community, including FIRs registered against farmers for stubble burning, slow paddy procurement, and the state government’s decision to reduce di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) fertilizer stocks by 30 percent. The protest comes amid escalating tensions between farmers and the authorities as concerns over agricultural policies continue to grow.
The Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Samiti, a prominent farmers’ organization, has taken the lead in organizing the demonstration. Its leader, Sarwan Singh Pandher, announced on Friday that highways in the Majha, Malwa, and Doaba regions would be blocked as part of the protest. Specifically, road blockades will occur in Batala, Sangrur, Phagwara, and Megha, as farmers seek to draw attention to their demands. While the blockade aims to disrupt traffic to make a strong statement, Pandher assured that emergency services such as ambulances and essential services like school buses would remain operational during the protest.
This action follows a similar protest on Friday, where members of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) blocked roads across Punjab for four hours. The previous day’s protests led to widespread traffic disruptions, causing inconvenience to thousands of commuters throughout the state. Despite the significant roadblocks, the protests remained peaceful, with no reports of violence. Organizers ensured that emergency and essential services were exempted from the blockade, prioritizing the safety of the public.
Saturday’s protest is expected to escalate, with Pandher’s Kisan Mazdoor Morcha announcing an indefinite road blockade at several key locations. The farmers argue that their frustrations stem from the state government’s poor handling of critical agricultural issues. They criticize the tardy paddy procurement process, which has left farmers struggling to sell their produce in a timely manner. The delays have caused storage issues and financial uncertainty for many, leading to mounting anger against the authorities.
Another major concern fueling the protest is the reduction in DAP fertilizer stocks. The Punjab government’s decision to cut the availability of DAP by 30 percent has sparked outrage, as DAP is a crucial input for farmers, especially during the rabi crop season. The protesters are demanding a consistent and adequate supply of fertilizers to ensure that farmers can sustain their agricultural practices without facing shortages. The reduction is viewed by the farming community as a failure on the part of the government to adequately plan for the needs of the agricultural sector.
SKM leader Balbir Singh Rajewal has openly blamed both the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Punjab government and the BJP-led Central government for the worsening situation. He criticized the state and central governments for not addressing the core issues faced by farmers and accused them of playing a blame game at the expense of farmers’ livelihoods and the state’s economy. According to Rajewal, the state government has not taken sufficient steps to support farmers dealing with stubble burning, which is often done out of necessity due to a lack of viable alternatives for residue management. The FIRs registered against farmers for stubble burning have only added to their woes, making them feel targeted for circumstances beyond their control.
Rajewal further accused the Central government of failing to implement effective policies to resolve the challenges faced by farmers. He emphasized that both governments must work together to provide long-term solutions instead of shifting responsibility. Farmers have been vocal about their discontent with current policies, arguing that there has been little progress in addressing their longstanding concerns, including fair pricing, crop procurement, and input costs.
The issue of corporate influence over agriculture was also highlighted by Charan Singh Noorpura, president of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta-Ugrahan) for Ludhiana district. He claimed that corporate entities are exploiting open market policies, undercutting small-scale farmers by taking advantage of unregulated market conditions. According to Noorpura, such policies enable large corporations to dictate terms, leading to unfavorable pricing for crops and reduced profitability for farmers who lack bargaining power. The protesters are demanding that the government take concrete steps to protect small-scale farmers from these exploitative practices and ensure fair market access.
The demonstrations are not just about immediate grievances but reflect broader dissatisfaction with the state of agriculture in Punjab and India as a whole. Farmers’ leaders argue that policies have increasingly favored corporate interests, leaving farmers to bear the brunt of market fluctuations, input shortages, and environmental regulations. The ongoing protests are an attempt to pressurize the authorities into taking urgent action to rectify these issues.
The indefinite nature of the Saturday protest indicates that the farmers are prepared for a prolonged struggle if their demands are not met. The Punjab government, led by AAP, and the Central government, led by the BJP, are likely to come under increased pressure to find a resolution. The state government has so far maintained that efforts are being made to speed up paddy procurement and address fertilizer shortages, but farmers remain skeptical about the implementation of these measures.
The escalation of protests in Punjab, a key agricultural state, is likely to have wider political and economic implications, especially with the sowing season approaching. The farmers’ agitation could serve as a rallying point for other agricultural movements across the country, potentially reigniting the momentum seen during the nationwide farmers’ protests of 2020-2021. As the situation unfolds, the response from both the state and central governments will be critical in determining whether the protests can be diffused through dialogue or if they will intensify further.