Punjab: Tensions are escalating at the Khanauri border following the detention of farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal. He was taken into custody early this morning while sleeping in a makeshift shelter, just before he was set to begin an indefinite hunger strike. Dallewal was subsequently transported to Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMC&H) for a medical examination, where he refused to eat or drink.
With the approval of the state government, Punjab Police, comprising around 200 officers from Patiala and Sangrur, executed a covert operation to take Dallewal for medical assessment. A senior official stated that they aimed to avoid confrontation with protesting farmers, and the entire operation was completed swiftly, within about 20 minutes, without any disruption.
Currently, Dallewal is being kept under strict medical observation in the emergency ward, and the hospital has been heavily secured by police, restricting any visitors. His detention has sparked significant anger among farmers, leading many activists affiliated with the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) to gather at the Khanauri border. Police have been stopping numerous farmer activists under the guise of conducting checks.
Prominent figures, including Fatehgarh Sahib MP Amar Singh and senior Congress leader Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, have condemned Dallewal’s detention. As protests continue, another farmer leader, Sukhjeet Singh Hardo Jhande, has initiated his own indefinite fast.
Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher issued a 10-day ultimatum to the central government to engage in dialogue with farmers to address their concerns. He emphasized that the farmers’ struggle has reached a critical juncture, urging the Centre to negotiate or face a march towards Delhi starting December 6.
Pandher expressed strong criticism of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, stating, “We are very disappointed. CM Mann seems to have poor advisers. He claimed to support farmers and represent our issues to the Centre, so why was Dallewal detained? Our conflict is with the Centre, not the state. Even former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh didn’t directly involve himself in the farmers’ issues during the first agitation in 2020.”
In a related development, some activity was observed at the Shambhu border on National Highway-44, where laborers were seen breaking concrete slabs near a bridge. Although no official explanation was provided, farmers began to approach the area, chanting slogans. In response, paramilitary personnel took position, and police quickly arrived to manage the situation.