Shambhu blockade: 2nd meeting between farmers, police officials ends in stalemate

Tribune News Service

Patiala, August 25

The second meeting between Punjab and Haryana police officials and the agitating farmer unions sitting on dharna at Shambhu border with Haryana ended in a stalemate.

Senior police officials had invited farmers in Patiala after the Supreme Court’s directions to persuade the agitators to lift the six-month-old blockade at the Shambhu border.

More discussion needed on march to Delhi

Certain issues, including the farmers being adamant on march to Delhi, need more discussion and both parties want to resolve it, which is good. A senior IPS officer

Senior police officers said that the meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere and many issues were discussed.

“The way forward is the key and we are willing to sit with the farmer unions again to resolve the issue,” they said. “Certain issues, including the farmers being adamant on march to Delhi, need more discussion and both parties want to resolve it, which is good,” said a senior IPS officer who attended the meeting.

Speaking to the media after the meeting, Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) convener Sarwan Singh Pandher said that we have no agenda or issue with the opening of the road blockades. “We can lift the dharna. It is the Haryana Government which has halted movement by placing boulders and blockades. We are already demanding that the highway be opened for commuters. It’s the Haryana Government that is opposing the order,” he said.

Pandher further said that their stance is very clear that they have not blocked the highway. There is no objection by any farmer union to the opening of the highway. “We are always open to discussion or meetings with the government. We told the police officers to come right now after the meeting and see that we are ready and no traffic is blocked by us. There is no law and order issue nor will there be any,” he said.

On August 22, the Supreme Court had asked the Governments of Punjab and Haryana to hold further meetings with protesting farmers to persuade them to remove their tractor-trailers from the Shambhu border. The farmers have been camping at the border since February.

Officials of the two states held a meeting with farmers who agreed to the partial reopening of the blocked highway. However, the farmers had insisted on marching towards Delhi with their tractors-trailers.