Punjab farmers under the banner of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) continued their week-long sit-in at the Chandigarh-Mohali border on Thursday, September 3, marking the third day of their protest over a range of pending agricultural and Punjab-specific demands.
The mobilisation, which began on September 1 and is scheduled to continue until September 7, has brought thousands of farmers and hundreds of tractors, trolleys and other vehicles to the protest site near Sector 48-C and Jagatpura.
The farmers are seeking a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP) based on the Swaminathan Commission recommendations, complete loan waivers for farmers and agricultural labourers, higher and timely sugarcane payments, protection of Punjab’s river-water rights and restoration of the state’s representation in the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB).
They are also opposing proposed free-trade agreements, including the India-US trade deal, and have demanded the withdrawal of the proposed Electricity Bill 2025 and Seed Bill 2025. SKM leaders have accused both the Centre and the Punjab government of remaining silent despite repeated memoranda, while saying they are open to dialogue if the governments are willing to engage meaningfully.
On the other hand, authorities have focused on maintaining traffic movement and public order around the protest site. Senior Mohali police officials said no untoward incident had been reported during the first two days. With the protest due to continue for four more days, the SKM’s senior leadership is scheduled to meet on September 4 to assess the government’s response and decide its next course of action.
Thousands Gather At Border
The protest has grown steadily since farmers began arriving at the Chandigarh-Mohali border with tractor-trolleys, food supplies and other essentials. According to SKM leaders, the gathering had reached around 5,500 activists by the second day, accompanied by nearly 700 tractors, pickup vehicles, buses and trucks and around 50 water tankers.
These figures have been provided by the organisers and have not been independently verified by the administration. Farmers have also established langar and other arrangements to sustain the round-the-clock sit-in. The protest site extends around the Sector 48-C and Jagatpura area, with trailers parked along the route between the Mohali-Chandigarh Faidan barrier and the light point near Bestech Square Mall.
The mobilisation has also affected traffic between Mohali and Chandigarh. Police have imposed diversions and restrictions around the protest area, while commuters have been advised to use alternate routes. Mohali DSP Harsimran Bal said police personnel had been deployed after farmers began arriving and setting up tents, primarily to manage the situation and traffic movement. Authorities have sought to keep part of the road open so that the protest does not completely cut off connectivity between the two cities.
Farmer leaders, meanwhile, say the protest is intended to remain peaceful. They have maintained that they are prepared for discussions with the government but want concrete action rather than assurances. On the second day, SKM leaders criticised what they described as the “complete silence” of the Centre and Punjab government.
They said repeated memoranda had failed to produce a satisfactory response on issues including water rights, debt relief and trade policy. Senior Mohali police officials said no untoward incident had been reported during the first two days, indicating that the protest has remained peaceful despite the large turnout.
MSP, Water And Debt At Core
At the heart of the agitation is the demand for a legal guarantee for MSP for all crops, with the SKM seeking prices based on the recommendations associated with the Dr MS Swaminathan Commission. Farmers argue that an announced MSP does not necessarily ensure that they receive that price in the market and are therefore seeking a legally enforceable system.
The unions have also called for assured procurement of a wider range of crops, including maize, pulses, vegetables, potatoes and basmati, linking the demand to Punjab’s need to diversify beyond its traditional wheat-paddy cycle and reduce pressure on groundwater.
Debt relief is another central demand. The SKM is seeking complete loan waivers for both farmers and agricultural labourers, while also seeking stronger social-security support for rural communities. Its charter includes a demand for a monthly pension of ₹10,000 for farmers, labourers and rural artisans. The unions have also demanded a sugarcane price of ₹500 per quintal and a system ensuring timely payment to growers, including mechanisms similar to those used by cooperative sugar mills.
Punjab’s water rights form another major part of the protest. The SKM wants the Punjab government to convene a special Assembly session to revisit previous agreements concerning the state’s river waters. It is also demanding restoration of Punjab’s representation in the BBMB and the repeal of the Dam Safety Act. These demands reflect a broader concern among farmer organisations over the state’s control of its water resources, particularly as Punjab faces increasing pressure on its groundwater.
The SKM is simultaneously opposing proposed free-trade agreements with the US and European countries, warning that increased imports could affect Indian farmers’ ability to compete. “The government should withdraw the Electricity Bill 2025 and the Seed Bill 2025. We are also opposed to the free trade agreements being pursued with the US and European countries,” SKM national coordination committee member Balbir Singh Rajewal said ahead of the protest.
A Wider Punjab Farm Agitation
The Chandigarh-Mohali protest comes amid a wider period of farmer mobilisation across Punjab. The SKM had announced the seven-day “pakka morcha” after constituent organisations began preparing farmers and supplies in villages across the state.
The organisation comprises 32 farmer bodies, although not every farmer union associated with the broader movement is participating in this particular protest. For instance, BKU Ugrahan, an associate member of the SKM, has been conducting separate programmes at the village and district level rather than joining the Chandigarh-Mohali sit-in.
The present agitation also follows months of protests over the proposed India-US trade agreement and Punjab’s land-pooling policy. Farmer groups have argued that trade agreements could expose domestic farmers to competition from subsidised agricultural imports, while opposition to land pooling centres on concerns about agricultural land and farmers’ rights. The current SKM protest brings several of these issues together, alongside longstanding demands relating to MSP, debt and water.
The administration, meanwhile, has attempted to balance the protesters’ right to demonstrate with the needs of commuters. Before the protest began, authorities issued traffic advisories and identified alternative routes around the affected Chandigarh-Mohali stretch.
The SKM was permitted to hold its protest around Sector 48-C, while arrangements were made to keep traffic moving on part of the road. Chandigarh and Mohali authorities have also deployed police personnel around the area to manage the expected influx of protesters and vehicles.
The immediate next step is expected on September 4, when senior SKM leaders are scheduled to meet to review what they describe as the government’s lack of response and decide how to proceed. The announced protest ends on September 7, but farmer leaders have indicated that the agitation could continue if meaningful talks do not take place. For now, the focus remains on whether the Centre or Punjab government will open a channel of dialogue and address at least some of the farmers’ demands.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Farmers have every right to raise concerns about their livelihoods, incomes, land and natural resources, and a peaceful protest remains an important part of a democratic society. At the same time, prolonged road restrictions can affect commuters, workers, patients, students and other residents who may have no role in the dispute.
The government, therefore, has a responsibility to protect both the right to peaceful protest and the public’s right to move freely, while farmer organisations must ensure that their agitation remains peaceful and does not unnecessarily inconvenience ordinary citizens. The most constructive way forward is meaningful dialogue rather than an escalation of confrontation. MSP, rural debt, water security and agricultural sustainability are too important to be reduced to a political standoff.
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