Farmers and farmer unions across Punjab have expressed outrage over the Haryana government’s proposal to award gallantry medals to six police personnel, including three senior IPS officers, for their role in stopping farmer protests at Shambhu and Khanauri borders in February this year. Activists from farmer organizations like the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha and Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) held protests across the state to oppose this move.
Protestors gathered in Patiala city where they burnt an effigy of top BJP leaders and the central and state governments. Farm leader Sarwan Singh Pandher criticized the decision, saying the officers used drones and tear gas shells against peaceful protesters. According to reports, the Haryana DGP had recommended these names – Ambala range IG Sibash Kabiraj, then Ambala SP Jashndeep Singh Randhawa, Jind SP Sumit Kumar and three HPS officers – for their exceptional courage shown in handling the situation.
However, farmers see this as an attempt to honour those who used force against them when they were demonstrating peacefully against the now repealed farm laws. The proposal has angered farmers who were part of the ongoing protests at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders in Haryana. They view this as the government rewarding those who took action against peaceful agitation. With assembly elections in the state next year, this issue is likely to further strain relations between farmers and the BJP-led government in Haryana.
