Ravneet Bittu Accuses Bhagwant Mann Govt of Orchestrating Dallewal’s Detention

Chandigarh, Punjab: Hours after farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal was detained by police at the Khanauri border, Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu accused the Punjab government of orchestrating the arrest. Dallewal, leader of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political), was scheduled to begin a fast-unto-death on Tuesday to demand a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Prices (MSP) on crops.

Bittu, in a statement on Tuesday, said: “The detention of Dallewal is a clear orchestration by the Bhagwant Mann government. No central agency is involved in his arrest. This is purely the work of the state police, aimed at shifting the blame to central agencies and diverting attention from the real issue. The central government has always worked for the welfare of farmers and does not indulge in such tactics.”

Dallewal, who had announced his hunger strike to coincide with the fourth anniversary of the Delhi Chalo farmer protests, was forcibly removed from his protest site early on Tuesday by Punjab and Haryana police. His planned fast-unto-death was aimed at securing a legal guarantee for MSP, a demand that has been central to ongoing farmer protests across the region.

Farmer leader Sarvan Singh Pandher condemned the arrest, stating that the action was an attempt to suppress the voice of farmers. “This move is unacceptable, and we strongly demand Dallewal’s immediate release,” he said.

Dallewal’s organization, along with other farmer unions like the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, has been protesting for months for a legal guarantee of MSP. Their struggle has included continuous sit-ins at key border points like Shambhu and Khanauri, where they have been protesting since February 13, 2024.