Clash between farmers, police over indefinite dharna in support of Punjab man protesting for anti-sacrilege law

Members of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) on Tuesday managed to reach Samana in Patiala to participate in the announced indefinite protest in support of Gurjeet Singh Khalsa, who has been protesting atop a 400-foot BSNL tower since October 12, 2024, demanding a stringent anti-sacrilege law.

Farmers were stopped from entering Samana by the Patiala police, following which there were violent clashes, as the farmers raised anti-government slogans. The police had to use mild force to stop the farmers, but they remained adamant to go on an indefinite strike.

The police said that despite repeated warnings and requests, the farmers continued to walk towards the tower, following which they were forcibly stopped. Some cops and farmers received minor injuries.

Earlier, ahead of the planned protest by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) in Samana in Patiala district, Punjab Police on Tuesday moved to pre-empt the stir by taking 90 farmer leaders and activists into preventive custody across Sangrur district.

Among those detained are senior members of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), Sidhupur, and activist Bhana Sidhu. Sidhu was stopped in his vehicle on his way to the protest site and was taken into custody. In Sangrur, many farmer union leaders were put under detention, and checkpoints were set up to intercept farmers heading toward the protest site.

43-year-old activist Gurjeet Singh Khalsa has been protesting atop a 400-foot-high BSNL tower in Samana for the past over a year.

Braving the weather vagaries, he has been camping atop the tower demanding a stringent law to punish those behind the sacrilege of any holy scripture in the state, irrespective of the faith.

Those supporting him launched a foot march from Samana on January 1, as his demand has yet to be met.