Chandigarh-The North American Punjabi Association (NAPA) Executive Director, Satnam Singh Chahal, strongly condemns the recent arrests of farmers by the Punjab government. These arrests, which include prominent farmer leaders Sarwan Singh Pandher and Jagjit Singh Dallewal, have ignited anger and resentment among the Punjabi diaspora worldwide.He said
Chahal further said that this is very unfortunate that following the third round of talks with the central delegation in Chandigarh, more than 300 farmers were detained, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing farmers’ protests. Reports indicate that Dallewal, who has been on a hunger strike since November last year, had to be hospitalized due to his deteriorating health.
This clearly shows the jungle raj in Punjab that the protest sites at Shambhu and Khanauri were forcibly cleared by the police using bulldozers, further intensifying the distress among the farming community. This crackdown comes in the wake of a meeting between top AAP functionaries and industrialists on Monday night, wherein industrialists reportedly raised concerns about the financial burden of the protests. Among those detained, Pandher was picked up from the Zirakpur barrier, while Dallewal, along with Kaka Singh Kotra and Abhimanyu Kohar, was apprehended near Bestech Mall in Mohali. These actions have been met with widespread outrage from the Punjabi community, which views them as a blatant suppression of democratic rights.
Chahal declared that NAPA stands in solidarity with the farmers and urges the Punjab government to immediately release all detained individuals. The right to peaceful protest is a fundamental democratic principle, and any attempt to stifle the voice of the farmers is an attack on their constitutional rights.
We call upon international human rights organizations and advocacy groups to take cognizance of the situation and press for justice. NAPA reaffirms its unwavering support for the farmers and remains committed to amplifying their concerns on the global stage.