Today marks the sixth day of the protest organized by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha at the Mohali-Chandigarh border—specifically occupying one side of the main road leading from Mohali to Chandigarh—to press for their demands. Farmer leaders are angry because the government has not initiated any dialogue with them during these six days.
Chandigarh SSP and Ropar Range DIG Nanak Singh had held a meeting to facilitate coordination between the government and the farmer leaders, following which the administration had requested a one-day window on Friday.
The farmers have established a permanent protest site in Mohali to demand, among other things: no trade deal with the US; the scrapping of Sections 78, 79, and 80 regarding water issues; a complete waiver of farm loans; crop pricing based on the Swaminathan Report recommendations; the withdrawal of the Electricity Bill 2025 and Seed Bill 2025; a sugarcane price of ₹500 per quintal; and the cancellation of the land pooling scheme.
Waiting for the administration’s response until 2 PM Sunday
Farmer leaders have been addressing the gathering daily from the stage at the protest site. After speaking from the stage between 11 AM and 2 PM, they hold internal meetings in the evening to formulate their next strategy. They are awaiting a response from the administration until 2 PM on Sunday; if no message is received by then, they will hold a meeting at 5 PM and announce the next phase of their agitation.
While the protest was initially planned to run until September 7, the farmers might extend it if no breakthrough is achieved today. Indications from the farmer leaders suggest they intend to withdraw only after successfully getting their demands met. Farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal stated that, according to a report by experts, Punjab will run out of water by 2039, creating a dire situation for the people. Anticipating this crisis, the people of Punjab are pressing the government to address their demands.
He noted that while memoranda outlining their demands and expressions of protest have been submitted to the government over a long period, the authorities have paid no heed to the plight of Punjab’s farmers.
He mentioned that the administration had requested a day’s time; the nature of the future agitation will be announced based on the information provided by the administration on Sunday.
**Farmers Stand Firm at the Protest Site Despite Heavy Rain**
Farmers have remained steadfast at the protest site despite the recent rainfall. Even after getting drenched in the rain on Saturday evening, they stood at the Airport Road intersections, holding flags and voicing their concerns to the public. The farmers assert that they are maintaining their protest to compel the government to accept their demands.
