Haryana Police cleared barricades on the Shambhu-Ambala highway, resuming traffic, while efforts to clear the Khanauri border point are still underway.
Traffic movement resumed on the Shambhu-Ambala Highway on Thursday after more than a year as Haryana Police removed roadblocks. The Khanauri border point is also set to reopen soon, following Punjab Police’s crackdown on protesting farmers a day earlier. This action included detaining demonstrators and dismantling temporary structures set up at the protest sites.
Meanwhile, protests erupted across Punjab, including in Moga, Tarn Taran, Muktsar, and Faridkot, as farmers expressed their opposition to the police action. Protesters claimed that those detained had launched a hunger strike in response to their arrest. In Moga, a group of farmers, including women, scuffled with police while marching towards the deputy commissioner’s office.
Political Reactions
The crackdown and subsequent road clearance have drawn sharp political reactions. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), while reiterating its support for farmers, emphasized the necessity of reopening major roads to safeguard Punjab’s economy.
However, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused AAP leader and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann of orchestrating the clearance drive ahead of the Ludhiana West bypoll to win votes. The Congress party also condemned both AAP and BJP, alleging collusion between them.
Farmers’ Protest and Blockade
Protesting farmers criticized the AAP government for detaining their leaders and removing demonstrators from Shambhu and Khanauri. These border points had been occupied by farmers since February 13 last year, when security forces blocked their march to Delhi. To sustain their agitation, protesters had set up temporary structures on the highway.
To prevent the farmers from moving towards the national capital, Haryana Police had reinforced border points with cement blocks, iron nails, and barbed wire. As a result, traffic on the Shambhu-Ambala and Sangrur-Jind roads remained suspended for over a year.
On Thursday, Haryana security personnel removed cement barricades from the Shambhu-Ambala Highway, allowing traffic to resume. Efforts to clear the Khanauri border are ongoing, and full restoration of traffic flow is expected soon.
Sources By Agencies
