Barricades Dismantled as Traffic on Two Haryana Borders Resumed

Farm leader Dallewal shifted to Jalandhar under tight security, Punjab clears roads on its side

- HARPREET BAJWA @Chandigarh

The arrest of farmer leaders and eviction of protesting farmers from the Shambhu and Khanauri borders since Wednesday highlight Punjab's rural and urban divide over the issue.

The leaders' detention triggered protests in Tarn Taran and Gurdaspur, while farmers staged a statewide protest. In Faridkot, police prevented farmers from blocking National Highway-15. Over 200 farmers were detained and transported to undisclosed locations in buses. The Dirba police detained about 50 farmers from BKU (Sidhupur) protesting on the Sangrur-Patran road. Protesters were dispersed in Gurdaspur, Bathinda and Abohar.

BKU leader Rakesh Tikait said if farmers are not united, governments will quell farmers' protests and facilitate corporates. Satnam Singh Pannu, president of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, said the police action showed that instead of "badlaav," Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann was doing "badle ki rajniti."