Condemning AAP govt's 'brutal crackdown' on protesting Punjab farmers, PUCL seeks solidarity action against 'tyranny'

By A Representative

The People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) has strongly condemned the "egregious actions" of the Punjab Police, allegedly under the direction of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, against peacefully protesting farmers at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders on March 19, 2025. In a statement released today by its General Secretary, Dr. V. Suresh, the PUCL described the police action, involving arrests and the destruction of protest sites, as a "shameful assault on democratic rights and a betrayal of the agrarian community."

The organization highlighted that the Kisan Andolan at the borders, ongoing since February 13, 2024, has been a "beacon of resistance" with farmers demanding a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP), loan waivers, and other crucial reforms. The movement, led by figures like Jagjit Singh Dallewal and Sarwan Singh Pandher, had seen sustained peaceful demonstrations, including Dallewal’s prolonged hunger strike.

PUCL expressed outrage over the events of March 19th, where, following a meeting in Chandigarh, over 3,000 police personnel reportedly dismantled the protest sites using bulldozers and JCBs. The statement claims that farmers were given a mere ten-minute ultimatum before being forcibly detained, with over 450 arrests, including prominent leaders and 13 women.

The organization also raised serious concerns about alleged police high-handedness, the razing of protest infrastructure, and eyewitness accounts of anti-social elements looting the farmers' belongings with alleged police connivance. PUCL termed this an "anti-democratic and shameless move" by the AAP government under Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, which has "shattered the trust of farmers."

The statement quoted Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema's justification of the action as an economic necessity due to losses to industries, which PUCL dismissed as hollow when weighed against the human cost of detentions and the suppression of a legitimate movement.

PUCL has unequivocally demanded an immediate investigation into police excesses, the release of all detained leaders, and the restoration of dialogue to address the farmers’ demands. The organization emphasized that the farmers' struggle is not merely for economic benefits but a "symbol of democratic assertion" against an unsympathetic state.

PUCL has fully endorsed the following demands of the protesting farmers:

* Restore the dignity and civil liberties of all those arrested.

* File criminal cases against the police and administration and those who committed excesses against the farmers.

* Restore the Dharna site to the farmers as protest is a constitutional right.

* Urge the Government to engage in a dialogue with Jagjit Singh Dallewal, Sarwan Singh Pander, and other farmer leaders.

* The Supreme Court report on the farm laws to be made public.

* Ensure that there is a Legal Guarantee of Minimum Support Price (MSP) for all crops.

* Withdrawal of the Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2022, drop proposed electricity reforms, and stop the ongoing installation of smart meters for agricultural connections.

* Demand a Comprehensive Debt Waiver, seeking the complete cancellation of outstanding loans.

* Withdrawal of politically motivated police cases linked to the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence and ensure justice for the victims.

* Reinstate the Land Acquisition Act, 2013 and provide compensation to the families of farmers who lost their lives during the 2020-21 agitation.

PUCL concluded by stating that the events of March 19th serve as a "testament to the resilience of the Kisan Andolan and the moral failure of those who chose force over justice," urging solidarity and action against such alleged tyranny.

Comments

Countrywide protest by gig workers puts spotlight on algorithmic exploitation

By A Representative A nationwide protest led largely by women gig and platform workers was held across several states on February 3, with the Gig & Platform Service Workers Union (GIPSWU) claiming the mobilisation as a success and a strong assertion of workers’ rights against what it described as widespread exploitation by digital platform companies. Demonstrations took place in Delhi, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Maharashtra and other states, covering major cities including New Delhi, Jaipur, Bengaluru and Mumbai, along with multiple districts across the country.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

CFA flags ‘welfare retreat’ in Union Budget 2026–27, alleges corporate bias

By Jag Jivan The advocacy group Centre for Financial Accountability (CFA) has sharply criticised the Union Budget 2026–27 , calling it a “budget sans kartavya” that weakens public welfare while favouring private corporations, even as inequality, climate risks and social distress deepen across the country.

From water scarcity to sustainable livelihoods: The turnaround of Salaiya Maaf

By Bharat Dogra We were sitting at a central place in Salaiya Maaf village, located in Mahoba district of Uttar Pradesh, for a group discussion when an elderly woman said in an emotional voice, “It is so good that you people came. Land on which nothing grew can now produce good crops.”

When free trade meets unequal fields: The India–US agriculture question

By Vikas Meshram The proposed trade agreement between India and the United States has triggered intense debate across the country. This agreement is not merely an attempt to expand bilateral trade; it is directly linked to Indian agriculture, the rural economy, democratic processes, and global geopolitics. Free trade agreements (FTAs) may appear attractive on the surface, but the political economy and social consequences behind them are often unequal and controversial. Once again, a fundamental question has surfaced: who will benefit from this agreement, and who will pay its price?

Paper guarantees, real hardship: How budget 2026–27 abandons rural India

By Vikas Meshram In the history of Indian democracy, the Union government’s annual budget has always carried great significance. However, the 2026–27 budget raises several alarming concerns for rural India. In particular, the vague provisions of the VBG–Ram Ji scheme and major changes to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA) have put the future of rural workers at risk. A deeper reading of the budget reveals that these changes are not merely administrative but are closely tied to political and economic priorities that will have far-reaching consequences for millions of rural households.

Penpa Tsering’s leadership and record under scrutiny amidst Tibetan exile elections

By Tseten Lhundup* Within the Tibetan exile community, Penpa Tsering is often described as having risen through grassroots engagement. Born in 1967, he comes from an ordinary Tibetan family, pursued higher education at Delhi University in India, and went on to serve as Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile from 2008 to 2016. In 2021, he was elected Sikyong of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), becoming the second democratically elected political leader of the administration after Lobsang Sangay.

'Gandhi Talks': Cinema that dares to be quiet, where music, image and silence speak

By Vikas Meshram In today’s digital age, where reels and short videos dominate attention spans, watching a silent film for over two hours feels almost like an act of resistance. Directed by Kishor Pandurang Belekar, “Gandhi Talks” is a bold cinematic experiment that turns silence into language and wordlessness into a powerful storytelling device. The film is not mere entertainment; it is an experience that pushes the viewer inward, compelling reflection on life, values, and society.

Frugal funds, fading promises: Budget 2026 exposes shrinking space for minority welfare

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* The Ministry of Minority Affairs was established in 2006 during the tenure of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, following the findings of the Sachar Committee, which documented that Muslims were among the most educationally and economically disadvantaged communities in India. The ministry was conceived as a corrective institutional response to deep structural inequalities faced by religious minorities, particularly Muslims, through focused policy interventions.

Search This Blog