Ludhiana: Farmers stage sit-in outside DC office, warn of rail roko on Dec 20
Farmers also protested against what they described as the state government’s failure to fulfil promises made to the farming community
Escalating their agitation against the proposed privatisation of the power sector and the draft Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2025, farmers under the banner of the Bhartiya Kisan Mazdoor Union (Punjab) staged a sit-in protest outside the deputy commissioner’s office here on Thursday.
The protest was organised at the call of the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) and supported by the Dashmesh Kisan Mazdoor Union as part of a two-day statewide agitation being held on December 18 and 19 outside DC offices across Punjab. During the demonstration, farmers also protested against what they described as the state government’s failure to fulfil promises made to the farming community and the alleged curbing of farmers’ democratic rights following the detention of union leaders hours before the rail roko protest on December 5.
Addressing the gathering, union leaders said affordable and reliable electricity was vital for agriculture and warned that any increase in power tariffs would further raise the cost of cultivation, pushing small and marginal farmers into deeper financial distress.
Punjab president of the Bhartiya Kisan Mazdoor Union Dilbagh Singh Gill and Dashmesh Kisan Mazdoor Union general secretary Jasdev Singh Lalton cautioned that if the government continued to ignore farmers’ demands, the agitation would intensify into another rail roko protest on December 20. They said rail traffic on important routes, including Ludhiana, Amritsar, Ferozepur, Sangrur and Bathinda, could be disrupted in the next phase.
The leaders launched a scathing attack on the AAP-led Punjab government, accusing it of being indifferent to farmers’ concerns and acting in tandem with the BJP-led Central government. They criticised the state government for maintaining silence on the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2025, alleging that the proposed legislation would pave the way for privatisation of the power sector and place an additional burden on farmers and rural consumers.
Condemning the detention of farmer leaders ahead of the December 5 rail blockade programme, the unions alleged that peaceful dissent was being stifled and warned that Punjab was being pushed towards a “police state”. They claimed that while criminals were operating freely, the police carried out pre-dawn raids to arrest farmer leaders in a bid to suppress protests.
The protesters also accused the AAP government of facilitating what they termed anti-farmer policies of the Centre, including the proposed Seed Bill, which they said aimed to hand over agriculture to corporate interests. Reiterating their resolve to continue the agitation, the unions demanded immediate release of flood compensation, withdrawal of fines and cases related to stubble burning, and dialogue to resolve farmers’ issues.
Farmers protesting against the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2025, staged a sit-in outside the deputy commissioner’s office in Punjab, demanding affordable electricity and criticizing the government for unfulfilled promises. Supported by unions, they threatened further agitation if their demands were ignored, citing concerns over rising power tariffs and alleged suppression of dissent by authorities, warning of a potential "police state."