CHANDIGARH: With barely 11 months left before Punjab votes in the 2027 Assembly elections, the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is grappling with mounting agrarian unrest that threatens to dent the rural support base that powered it to a landslide victory in 2022.
Fresh clashes in Bathinda over several demands adding to the lingering anger over forcible eviction of farmers from the Shambu and Khanauri protest sites, dissatisfaction over flood relief, and nationwide protests against the proposed India–US trade framework have converged into a serious political challenge for Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
The fresh violence flared on February 19 when activists of the Bhartiya Kisan Union Ekta Ugrahan attempted a march from Jeond village in Rampura Phul block. The protest for the release of jailed union leaders Shagandeep Singh Jeond and Baldev Singh Chauke, escalated into a confrontation with police that lasted nearly 20 minutes. Both the farmer leaders were arrested on April 5, 2025 for the alleged attempted murder of DSP Rahul Bhardwaj in January 2025, and are lodged in Bathinda Central Jail. Though granted bail by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, they remain in custody pending procedural formalities.
Both sides reportedly engaged in stone-pelting, while police used tear-gas shells to disperse the crowd. Two farmers reportedly suffered serious injuries, including a severe hand injury and a fractured leg requiring referral to Ludhiana. A Sub-Divisional Magistrate and three policemen were treated for minor injuries. Around 30 protesters were detained so far.
The reports suggest that Police have registered an FIR against nearly 400 unidentified persons on charges including attempt to murder and assault on public servants. The development follows five earlier cases filed on February 6 against over 2,000 unidentified farmers in connection with another attempted march toward the Bathinda District Administrative Complex.
Farmers allege excessive force, claiming police carried out a lathicharge and fired tear gas from rooftops. Bathinda SSP Jyoti Yadav termed the gathering a “mob” and maintained that only “mild force” was used to bring the situation under control.
The roots of the current unrest trace back to March 19, last year when Punjab Police dismantled long-running protest camps at the Shambu and Khanauri borders. The sit-ins had blocked the Ambala highway for over a year.
Bulldozers cleared barricades and tents, and key farmer leaders were detained. Among them were Jagjit Singh Dallewal of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Sarwan Singh Pandher of the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha.
AAP defended the move as necessary to restore economic normalcy and reopen vital trade routes. Farmers and opposition parties, however, labelled it repression and a betrayal of the agrarian movement. The episode marked a perceptible shift in narrative from “Centre versus farmers” to “state government versus farmers” altering political perceptions in rural Punjab.
Rural frustration has been compounded by allegations of inadequate relief following the devastating 2025 monsoon floods, widely described as among the worst in decades.
While the Centre announced a ₹1,600-crore assistance package, the Mann government termed it insufficient and passed a unanimous Assembly resolution demanding special financial support. Opposition parties countered by accusing the state government of poor preparedness, mismanagement, and exaggerating losses in communications with the Centre while failing to adequately compensate victims. Calls for an independent audit of the State Disaster Relief Fund continue.
Further the recently announced India–US trade framework unveiled in early February 2026 has injected fresh energy into farmer mobilisations. The Samyukt Kisan Morcha and allied unions have criticised the agreement as “anti-farmer,” warning that increased agricultural and dairy imports could depress domestic prices.
A nationwide Bharat Bandh was organised on February 12, and a major rally has been announced in Barnala on March 10. Farmer groups are demanding a legal guarantee of MSP at C2+50% with full procurement, comprehensive loan waivers, withdrawal of proposed amendments to seed and electricity laws, and resolution of water-sharing disputes.
