Punjab Farmers Clash with Mann Government Over Protest Crackdown

Tensions escalate as Punjab Police detain farmer leaders ahead of planned Chandigarh sit-in, drawing criticism from opposition parties and farm unions.

The Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government faces backlash after police detained multiple Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) leaders in early morning raids ahead of a planned protest in Chandigarh.
Farmer unions criticized the detentions as a suppression of democratic rights, accusing the government of using 'dictatorial' tactics to stifle peaceful protests.
The SKM demands include a legal guarantee for minimum support prices (MSP) on crops, withdrawal of the Centre’s draft agricultural policy, and compensation for families of farmers who died during earlier protests.
Talks between the Mann government and farmer leaders broke down after a contentious meeting, leading to preventive arrests and police raids across Punjab targeting prominent farmer leaders.
Opposition parties, including Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal, condemned the crackdown, accusing the AAP government of disrespecting farmers and mishandling the ongoing crisis.