Punjab farmers have launched a seven-day protest at the Chandigarh-Mohali border under the banner of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, with demonstrations scheduled through September 7. Their demands include a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price, complete loan waivers for farmers and agricultural labourers, and withdrawal of proposed trade agreements. Farmer organisations are also raising Punjab’s river-water rights, representation in the Bhakra Beas Management Board and changes to provisions of the Punjab Reorganisation Act. Several demands concern both state and Union government policies.
Punjab Farmers Protest at Chandigarh-Mohali Border: MSP Guarantee, Debt Waiver Among Key Demands
Farmers in Punjab have launched a week-long demonstration at the Chandigarh-Mohali border, demanding a legal guarantee for MSP, complete loan waiver, and amendments in policies concerning the farm sector.
The Punjab farmers’ protest was launched on September 1 under the banner of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) as thousands of farmers converged on the strategically vital Chandigarh-Mohali road corridor. The seven-day protest will continue till September 7 and is likely to witness massive participation by farmer unions across the state.
The protest is taking place when the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Punjab government is already under pressure due to the ongoing employee union agitations. However, many of the demands raised by the farmers are directed toward the Union government while others are related to Punjab-specific issues.
Farmer organizations participating in the protest have demanded a legally guaranteed Minimum Support Price (MSP) for farm produce, complete waiver of loans for farmers and agricultural laborers, and withdrawal of proposed trade agreements with the United States and European countries.
The issue of MSP continues to be a major issue in Punjab, where the agrarian economy is still dependent on the wheat and paddy procurement system. Farmer groups say extending MSP cover to more crops would provide them with more income security.
Punjab Water Sharing and BBMB Representation Take Centre Stage
Apart from the economic demands, the protest has brought to the fore the long-standing issues regarding Punjab’s river waters and the state’s representation in water management institutions.
The farmer unions have demanded the annulment of the earlier agreements on sharing of Punjab’s river water and have asked the Punjab Assembly to convene a special session on the issue. Water rights remain a critical issue for the future of the state’s farms, they say.
The organizations have also demanded restoration of Punjab’s representation in the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB). The issue has come to the fore again following recent developments on the state’s permanent representation on the board.
All India Kisan Federation (AIKF) President Prem Singh Bhangu said the farmers want resolution of the river water dispute as per constitutional provisions and riparian principle.
While addressing the protest, Bhangu said farmer bodies also demanded the withdrawal of Sections 78, 79 and 80 of the Punjab Reorganization Act, 1966, and complete loan waiver for farmers and farm laborers.
He further said that the organizations are also against the proposed free trade agreement with the United States and are demanding MSP based on the C2 cost formula plus 50 percent for all agricultural produce, not only wheat and paddy.
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Traffic Impact and Wider Policy Concerns
The protest site is on the Chandigarh side of Airport Road, and stretches toward Bestech Mall in Mohali, covering parts of both Chandigarh and Punjab. A large gathering has been arranged with extensive traffic diversions, security arrangements, sanitation facilities, portable toilets and drinking water arrangements by the authorities.
Farmer leaders said hundreds of tractors and trolleys carrying food supplies and essential materials arrived before the start of the protest, enabling participants to sustain the week-long sit-in.
The SKM has also sought withdrawal of the Electricity Bill 2025, Seed Bill 2025, Dam Safety Act and Disaster Management Act, 2024, stating these measures could affect the costs of farming, agricultural inputs and rural livelihoods.
Other demands include fixing sugarcane price at Rs 500 per quintal, timely payments by private sugar mills through a single window, and a monthly pension of Rs 10,000 for farmers, agricultural laborers and rural artisans.
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha is a conglomerate of 32 farmer organizations including BKU Rajewal, BKU Dakaunda, Kirti Kisan Union, BKU Shadipur, Punjab Kisan Union. Meanwhile, BKU Ekta Ugrahan is conducting separate demonstrations outside Deputy Commissioners' offices and is not participating in the Chandigarh-Mohali protest.
As the agitation continues through the week, both state and central authorities are expected to closely monitor developments. The outcome could affect ongoing discussions on agricultural reforms, trade policy, water rights and farmer welfare in Punjab and beyond, something Sprouts News will continue to monitor.
