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

Designing the edge, erasing the river: Sabarmati Riverfront and the dissonance between ecology and planning

By Mansee Bal Bhargava, Parth Patel Across India, old black-and-white images of the Sabarmati River are often juxtaposed with vibrant photos of the modern Sabarmati Riverfront. This visual contrast is frequently showcased as a model of development, with the Sabarmati Riverfront serving as a blueprint for over a hundred proposed riverfront projects nationwide. These images are used to forge an implicit public consensus on a singular idea of development—shifting from a messy, evolving relationship between land and water to a rigid, one-time design intervention. The notion of regulating the unregulated has been deeply embedded into public consciousness—especially among city makers, planners, and designers. Urban rivers across India are undergoing a dramatic transformation, not only in terms of their land-water composition but in the very way we understand and define them. Here, we focus on one critical aspect of that transformation: the river’s edge.

Top civil rights leader announces plan to lead delegation to Pakistan amidst post-war tensions

By A Representative In a significant move, well-known academic and civil rights leader Sandeep Pandey has announced the plan to send a 22-member delegation to Pakistan to engage in dialogue with its government and civil society. The delegation proposed to go to Pakistan under the banner of Socialist Party (India) as a fact-finding mission to help seek solution to continuing tensions between the two countries over the fallout of the Pahalgam terror attack.

J&K's Mallabuchan villagers symbolically cut Off pipeline in protest against ‘water injustice’

By A Representative In a striking act of peaceful protest, residents of Mallabuchan village in Jammu and Kashmir's Budgam district symbolically disconnected the Ahmadpora-Tangmarg water pipeline on Thursday, denouncing decades of official neglect and violation of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) norms.

Primary sources of the underground Naxalite movement (1965–71): An analytical compilation

By Harsh Thakor* Voices from the Underground: Select Naxalite Documents (1965–71) is a compilation of documents and writings related to the Naxalite movement, spanning the period between 1965 and 1992. The collection includes materials not widely available through mainstream publishers and often considered controversial by the state. It is divided into two sections and contains eighteen documents authored by individuals associated with the movement.

A healthier model for goat-based livelihoods in remote Madhya Pradesh villages

By Bharat Dogra While buffaloes and cows often receive greater attention in animal husbandry-related government development schemes, goats remain vital for poorer households. Therefore, enhancing goat-based livelihoods is especially important for marginalized communities—particularly when such efforts reduce villagers' costs and lower goat mortality rates. One promising strategy involves training local villagers, especially women, to provide essential veterinary services. A welcome byproduct of this is that several women gain a respected source of income within their own villages.

Relevance of historical foot marches like Dandi and Salt march in achieving developmental goals in India

By Bharat Dogra India has a great tradition of organizing foot marches, including some which become historically very important, the most obvious example being the Dandi Salt March under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi which is a very important chapter in the freedom movement of India.

Few Bollywood actors possessed Sanjeev Kumar's subtle detachment and sensitivity

By Harsh Thakor On 9th July, we celebrated the 85th birthday of legendary Hindi film actor, Sanjeev Kumar., known as Haribhai Jariwala. Sanjeev Kumar penetrated zones of versatility or acting craft, almost unparalleled in Hindi cinema. He was one one the very few who touched horizons of true genius, transcending regions in acting virtually unexplored. Rarely did any artist get stuck as thickly into the skin of the character. The diversity of expressions in his moves reminded one of the different water colours of a painting. Sanjeev manifested the ventures of an artist to tap the regions unexplored. He simply defied all conventions of Bollywood, making path breaking experiments. His acting had a subtle degree detachment and sensitivity, which few Bollywood actors ever possessed. He may not have possessed the drop dead looks of a Dev Anand, Dharmendra or Sashi Kapoor or the professionalism or star charisma of an Amitabh Bachan, Rajesh Khanna or Shah Rukh Khan. However in pure acting...

Ecological alarm over pumped storage projects in Western Ghats: Policy analyst writes to PM

By A Representative In a detailed letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, energy and climate policy analyst Shankar Sharma has raised grave concerns over the escalating approval and construction of Pumped Storage Projects (PSPs) across India’s ecologically fragile river valleys. He has warned that these projects, if pursued unchecked, could result in irreparable damage to the country’s riverine ecology, biodiversity hotspots, and forest wealth—particularly in the Western Ghats.

Guru Dutt: The melancholy visionary who redefined Indian cinema

By Harsh Thakor* Iconic Indian director and actor Guru Dutt was just 39 years old when he died in 1964, but he left behind a cinematic legacy that continues to resonate. On July 9, the world marks the birth centenary of this cinematic wizard. Guru Dutt, whose name epitomises the golden era of Indian cinema, left an indelible mark with his talents as a director, producer, and actor. He elevated the art of filmmaking to new heights, bringing innovative storytelling to unexplored domains. Like the protagonist of "Pyaasa", true recognition came to Dutt only after his passing. Cinema enthusiasts continue to wonder what more he might have achieved had he lived longer.

Search This Blog