Punjab Farmers Escalate Agitation with Statewide Toll-Free Protest
In a significant escalation of their ongoing agitation, the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta-Sidhupur) has announced a statewide "toll-free" protest beginning at noon on Friday. This dramatic move will allow commuters to pass through major toll plazas across Punjab without paying any user fees, directly challenging state authorities.
Background: Police Detentions Spark Renewed Action
The union, associated with the faction led by state president Jagjit Singh Dallewal, stated that this protest follows police detentions of hundreds of farmers and activists earlier this week. On Tuesday, authorities detained nearly 200 protesters, including farmer leaders and a social media influencer, as they were heading to Samana to join an ongoing demonstration. Although all were released later, the union described these actions as "administrative and police suppression."
Union general secretary Kaka Singh Kotda made the formal announcement of the toll-free protest, while morcha coordinator Gurpreet Singh emphasized that no cash transactions would be accepted in support of the agitation. "We have appealed to supporters that if they wish to contribute, they may render seva (voluntary service) directly. No cash donations will be accepted," Singh explained, adding that this decision was taken to prevent allegations of financial impropriety that often surface during similar movements.
Samana: The Epicenter of Unrest
The current unrest remains centered in Samana town of Patiala district, where tensions have been simmering for months. Activist Gurjeet Singh Khalsa has been staging a protest atop a nearly 400-foot BSNL tower in Samana since October 12, 2024, with his sit-in now crossing 500 days. His primary demand is for a stringent national law against sacrilege of religious scriptures.
Police established checkpoints at strategic locations including Dharedi Jatta and Bhawanigarh, making preventive detentions that BKU Ekta-Sidhupur leaders allege were used to harass and unlawfully stop farmers from exercising their democratic right to protest. Both Patiala SSP Varun Sharma and Sangrur SSP SS Chahal confirmed that none of the farmers remain under detention, as all were released following Tuesday's events.
The Legislative Context: Punjab's Anti-Sacrilege Bill
At the heart of this agitation is the proposed Punjab Prevention of Offences Against Holy Scripture(s) Bill, 2025. Activists insist this legislation must be enacted without further delay, arguing that the process has slowed within legislative committees despite the AAP-led state government introducing the bill earlier this year.
Sacrilege remains an exceptionally sensitive and politically volatile issue in Punjab, particularly since the 2015 Bargari incidents that sparked widespread protests across the state. The current mobilization represents renewed pressure on authorities to address what protesters see as inadequate legal protections for religious scriptures.
Law Enforcement Response and Future Implications
Police officials maintain that Tuesday's detentions were preventive measures aimed at maintaining law and order, particularly to prevent the establishment of a permanent protest site in Samana. With tensions already elevated in the region, authorities are likely to remain on high alert as the toll-free protest unfolds across Punjab's major transportation corridors.
This latest development represents a strategic shift in protest tactics, moving beyond traditional demonstrations to directly impact state revenue collection infrastructure. As farmers and activists coordinate this unprecedented action, all eyes remain on how both state authorities and the traveling public will respond to Friday's planned disruption of normal toll operations.
