The arrest of prominent Dalit land rights leader Mukesh Malaud by the Punjab Police in Delhi has triggered widespread condemnation from labour and farmer organisations, who have accused the state government of employing double standards.
Arrest Sparks Immediate Protests
Mukesh Malaud, the president of the Zameen Prapti Sangharsh Committee (ZPSC), was taken into custody on Tuesday morning from Delhi's Nizamuddin railway station. The arrest was made by the Special Security Branch of the Punjab Police while Malaud was returning from a programme of the Ambedkar Mission in Maharashtra.
The timing of the arrest drew sharp criticism as it coincided with a special session of the Punjab Assembly convened to discuss issues related to MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) workers. A significant portion of these workers form the core membership of Malaud's ZPSC.
Following the arrest, a large delegation comprising ZPSC members, farmer union representatives, and democratic rights activists met Sartaj Singh Chahal, the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) in Sangrur, to demand Malaud's immediate release. The delegation later held a protest march from the SSP office to the district administrative complex.
Old Cases Revived: The Balad Kalan Agitation
Police stated that Malaud's arrest pertains to several old cases registered in Sangrur. One pivotal case dates back to June 2014 and is linked to the Balad Kalan village agitation. This protest was a landmark event in Punjab's Dalit land rights movement, where Dalit families alleged that landlords used dummy candidates in panchayat land auctions to illegally acquire land reserved for Dalits.
The 2014 protest saw a police lathi-charge, resulting in injuries to both protesters and officials. Several Dalit leaders were arrested at that time on serious charges, including attempt to murder. Interestingly, Malaud, who was ZPSC president then, was not arrested. The agitation later inspired similar movements across Punjab.
"If the police can revive an 11-year-old Balad Kalan case now, there is a real fear that more cases could be slapped on Malaud to keep him behind bars," said Tarsem Peter, president of the Pendu Mazdoor Union.
May Agitation and Broader Political Context
Another case cited for the arrest relates to a planned agitation on May 20, 2025, at Bir Eswan village in Sangrur. The ZPSC had called for a struggle to claim rights over 927 acres of land belonging to the erstwhile Jind Riyasat, demanding its distribution among landless Dalit families under the Land Ceiling Act. While over 400 members were detained during that protest, Malaud was not present but was accused of giving the call.
Leaders have pointed out a political irony. During the 2014 Balad Kalan protests, Harpal Singh Cheema of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had supported the ZPSC. Today, as the Finance Minister of Punjab, Cheema has remained silent on Malaud's arrest, a fact highlighted by critics.
Warnings of Intensified Agitation
Labour and farmer groups have slammed the government's actions as hypocritical. "On one hand, the AAP government is projecting itself as a protector of workers by calling a special Assembly session on MGNREGA, and on the other hand, it arrests a prominent labour leader of Dalits’ organisation on the same day. This exposes the government’s double standards," said Bhupinder Singh Longowal of the Kirti Kisan Union.
In response, leaders have warned of escalated protests if Malaud is not released. Tarsem Peter announced that effigies of the Punjab government would be burnt across villages on Wednesday. Major farmer bodies like the Samyukta Kisan Morcha and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, along with organisations such as the Democratic Teachers' Front and Naujawan Bharat Sabha, have pledged support and plan a joint statewide agitation in the coming days.
The delegation in Sangrur included a wide coalition of activists, including Malaud's wife Aman Deol of the Istri Jagrati Manch, underscoring the broad-based anger against the arrest.
