The planned march to Delhi by Punjab farmers protesting the proposed India-US trade deal was suspended on Tuesday after discussions with the Haryana government led to a breakthrough on key demands. By around 3 p.m., farmers who had gathered at the Shambhu border began returning, while farmer leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni was also released by the Kurukshetra Police.
Why was the protest suspended?
Dilbag Singh Dirajke, State Secretary of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), said the decision to suspend the protest came after a meeting with Haryana Agriculture Minister Shyam Singh Rana. According to him, consensus was reached on two major demands raised by the farmers, prompting them to call off the planned march for the time being.
Detained farmers to be released soon
Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said the Haryana minister assured them that all detained farmer leaders would be released soon. He also claimed that the Centre had agreed to initiate talks between farmers and Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan within the next eight to ten days. The proposed India-US trade deal is also expected to be discussed during these meetings.
Earlier in the day, hundreds of farmers had assembled at the Shambhu border on the Patiala-Ambala route and the Khanauri border on the Sangrur-Jind route to begin their march towards Delhi. Anticipating the protest, Haryana Police sealed both border points with multiple layers of barricades, preventing the farmers from moving forward.
Sit-In protest by the farmers
A heavy police deployment remained in place throughout the day, with JCB machines stationed at the sites to remove any temporary or permanent structures if protesters attempted to set them up. Unable to cross into Haryana, the farmers staged a sit-in protest at the border under the leadership of Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) coordinator Sarwan Singh Pandher.
In view of the gathering, Ambala Police imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 and warned protesters not to approach within 100 metres of the barricades.
Traffic disruption amidst the protest
The closure of the Shambhu border also disrupted traffic on National Highway-44, the key Jalandhar-Delhi route. Haryana Police diverted traffic and advised commuters to use alternate routes while asking the public to dial emergency helpline 112 in case of any assistance.
Past case of closure of Shambhu border
The Shambhu border had previously remained closed for nearly 13 months, from February 13, 2024, to March 20, 2025, during the farmers' agitation before it was reopened following directions from the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The border has now been temporarily sealed again as a precautionary measure.
Invalid basis of protest?
Meanwhile, Punjab BJP spokesperson Anil Sareen questioned the basis of the protest, saying no India-US trade agreement had been finalised so far. He argued that since no official details of the proposed deal had been made public, there was no reason to stage a protest. He further alleged that certain groups were attempting to create unrest in Punjab over an issue that had not yet materialised.