The General Secretary of Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, Sarwan Singh Pandher, has criticized the Punjab government for its failure to initiate an FIR regarding the death of a farmer youth at the Khanauri Border during the ongoing protests. Pandher strongly condemned the government’s actions, stating, “The way the Punjab government is insulting the martyrdom of our martyrs is condemnable.” He raised questions about the delay in filing the FIR, despite all demands being accepted during discussions.
In Pandher’s own words, “Talks were being held with the Punjab Government on the death of Shubhkaran Singh. All our demands were accepted, that a case under Section 302 (murder) be filed against those who attacked, that the Punjab Government give the status of ‘martyr’ to Shubhkaran Singh, that discussions on compensation be held with his family, and that a Board will be constituted for his postmortem and its videography will be done. It has been more than 14 hours now but the Punjab Government is not giving any answer.”
Expressing dissatisfaction with the government’s inaction, Pandher criticized the handling of the incident and the lack of accountability for the actions of the forces against farmers. He voiced concerns about the government’s stance on the protest, pointing out discrepancies in their statements and actions.
Pandher questioned, “Our Chief Minister is saying that the central government is putting pressure on us, that they will break the government, they will impose 356. Let them, I don’t care, we said that, it is very good.” He also highlighted inconsistencies in the government’s actions, such as barricading and stopping farmers during the langar.
Regarding the inability to perform the last rites of Shubhkaran Singh, Pandher emphasized that talks with the Punjab Government were still ongoing. The farmers’ protest has been temporarily halted for two days following the tragic incident.
In a related development, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait announced a ‘Black Friday’ in honor of the deceased farmer. Union Minister Arjun Munda expressed the Central Government’s commitment to farmer welfare and resolving issues through dialogue. The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has also called for inclusive dialogue to address concerns in the agricultural sector. The protests, ongoing since February 13, have seen clashes resulting in injuries to several farmers and police personnel at the Shambhu border near Ambala.