Shambhu/Ambala: Hundreds of Punjab farmers on their way to Delhi to take part in the Kisan Mahapanchayat to protest against the proposed India-US trade deal were stopped at the Shambhu border on Tuesday as Haryana Police erected barricades and placed cement blocks at the entry point to the neighbouring state.
Authorities in Ambala have also clamped prohibitory orders in the district.
A day-long "Kisan Mahapanchayat" is being organised at Kisan Ghat in Delhi under the banner of "Desh Bachao Morcha".
Carrying flags of their organisations, hundreds of farmers from across Punjab gathered at the Shambhu border in the morning to proceed towards the national capital in buses to take part in the protest but were denied entry to Haryana.
Heavy police deployment was made at the border point between Punjab and Haryana. Barricades, chained to each other, were erected on the bridge over Ghaggar river at the entry point to Haryana, with water cannon vehicles on standby.
Ambala Superintendent of Police Ajit Singh Shekhwat and other police officials were camping at the spot to monitor the situation.
Security has also been tightened across key national highway stretches as police anticipated large numbers of farmers attempting to cross into Haryana.
Farmer leaders had earlier said that participants from several places, including from Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, would take part in the Mahapanchayat.
As part of the plan, around a thousand farmers from Punjab were to travel to Delhi in buses.
The farmers' convoy departed from Gurdwara Sri Fatehgarh Sahib on Tuesday morning. They had spent Monday night at the sarai (pilgrims' inn) of the gurdwara. From the gurdwara, they reached Madhopur, near Sirhind on the GT Road, and then proceeded towards Shambhu.
Scores of farmers were stopped at the Khanauri border point, Shahabad in Kurukshetra and Karnal as well, their leaders said.
In Kurukshetra, farmers claimed that they were stopped near Jyotisar.
The Delhi Police also detained at least four farmers at the Singhu border between Haryana and the national capital.
Lashing out at the Nayab Singh Saini government, Punjab farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said they wanted to proceed peacefully to Delhi, but were stopped at the Haryana border.
He said farmers want the proposed India-US trade agreement to be completely scrapped.
Speaking to reporters, Pandher questioned why they were stopped from participating in the protest and alleged that this exposed the "true face" of the Haryana chief minister, who frequently visits Punjab to seek votes and makes tall promises to people there.
He also slammed Punjab BJP chief Kewal Singh Dhillon for keeping silent.
"What danger do they have from us? Earlier you used to blame us for taking tractor trolleys along. But this time, we are only going for a four-hour-long programme," he said.
He asserted that the farmers do not intend to be involved in any sort of confrontation with the Haryana Police as they wanted to go to Delhi in a peaceful manner.
Pandher further demanded the release of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Charuni) chief Gurnam Singh Charuni, who was detained by police in Kurukshetra on Monday.
Bharatiya Kisan Union (Shaheed Bhagat Singh) leader Tejveer Singh said the Haryana Police has sealed the Shambhu border point without any prior notice.
In view of the farmers' protest, Haryana Police on Tuesday issued a traffic advisory to avoid delays and inconveniences.
The advisory asked commuters to take the Ambala Cantonment-Chandigarh-Lalru-Dera Bassi-Zirakpur route to go to Punjab.
Those going to Delhi from Punjab can take the Rajpura-Lalru-Dera Bassi-Zirakpur-Ambala Cantonment route, it said.
On Monday, BKU leader Charuni was detained by police in Kurukshetra while he was heading to Delhi for the Mahapanchayat.
The outfit's spokesperson, Prince Waraich, claimed that the Haryana Police had been detaining a large number of the outfit's workers to prevent their participation in the protest.
Farmers have been strongly opposing the India-US trade deal, claiming that it would adversely impact the country's farming sector.
They claimed that the proposed trade deal would allow cheaper agricultural imports into India, affecting domestic farm incomes and the country's agricultural economy.
This would adversely affect farmers, agricultural labourers, livestock rearers, small traders and micro industries, they said.
The farmers said that the proposed agreement would not be limited to a few commodities but several, including agriculture, dairy, industry, digital trade, e-commerce, government procurement, intellectual property rights, and the services sector.
Demanding immediate intervention by the Centre, farmers urged it to abandon the proposed trade deal and safeguard the interests of farmers and the common people.
In February 2024, similar barricading was carried out when farmers had given a call to go to Delhi to press the Centre for a legal guarantee for the Minimum Support Price of their crops.
