Following the eviction of protesting farmers from the Shambhu and Khanauri border points, Haryana security personnel on Thursday started removing cemented barricades, which were erected to prevent the Punjab farmers from heading to Delhi.
At the Shambhu and Khanauri borders, earthmoving machines and other machines have been deployed to remove the concrete blocks to clear the Shambhu-Ambala and Sangrur-Jind roads, which remained closed for over a year after the protesting farmers camped there.
The Haryana security officials had fortified the state borders with Punjab with cement blocks, iron nails and barbed wire to scuttle any attempt by the farmers to move towards the capital as part of their 'Delhi Chalo' programme.
The Punjab police also resumed its operation to dismantle the remaining temporary structures on the Punjab side of the Shambhu and the Khanauri border points on Thursday to clear the roads.
Patiala senior superintendent of police, Nanak Singh, said all the trolleys and semi-permanent structures will be removed from the road at the Shambhu border.
"Hopefully, the road will be opened for traffic in the next 3-4 hours," he said.
The Haryana officials were also taking parallel action for opening the road, the SSP added.
Sibash Kabiraj, inspector general of police (Ambala Range), said the barricades on the Haryana side will be removed by Thursday evening and road traffic could be restored thereafter.
Meanwhile, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha on Thursday announced to hold dharnas outside the offices of deputy commissioners in protest against the Punjab Police crackdown.
Both the bodies, which spearheaded the farmers' stir at Shambhu and Khanauri border points, slammed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab for evicting the protesters and detaining farmer leaders on Wednesday.
To condemn the police action, a group of farmers held a protest at Gidderbaha in Muktsar district, while another group that included women scuffled with policemen in Moga district when they were going to stage a protest outside the deputy commissioner's office.
Punjab Police detained several farmer leaders, including Sarwan Singh Pandher and Jagjit Singh Dallewal, in Mohali on Wednesday as they were returning after a meeting with a central delegation led by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Chandigarh.
At the meeting in Chandigarh, the seventh round of talks between the two sides, the central delegation was also represented by Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi and Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal.
The meeting discussed the various demands of the farmers, especially a law guaranteeing minimum support price (MSP) for crops.
As the departing farmers entered Mohali after the meeting, they were met with heavy barricading.
Facing flak from certain quarters over the police crackdown, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Thursday said the AAP government is committed to generate employment for the youth by attracting industries to the state.
"Punjab's trade has been hit hard because of the closure of the two key highways at Shambhu and Khanauri border points for more than a year," Cheema said.
"We want to tell the farmers that we stand by them. Their demands concern the Centre. You (farmers) hold any protest against the Centre, and we are with you. But do not destroy Punjab and do not shut the state's highways," he appealed.
The minister also said that at a time when Punjab is waging a war against drugs, providing employment to the youth is essential for winning the fight.
"Employment can only be generated if industries come to Punjab. But the Shambhu and Khanauri borders were closed for more than a year, causing losses to Punjab.
"In 2003, Punjab made the maximum contributions to the country's GDP. But today, Punjab has dropped to the 19th place, as industries are not coming to the state," Cheema said.
Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee leader Satnam Singh Pannu also condemned the police action, and accused the Punjab government of being "hand-in-glove" with the Centre in launching the crackdown on the protesting farmers.
"It was the murder of democratic rights. The farmers wanted to go to Delhi but the Haryana government barricaded the roads at the Centre's behest," Pannu alleged.
"The governments led by Bhagwant Mann and the BJP at the Centre will face the consequences," he warned.
Pannu also said the two farmer bodies -- Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha -- will hold dharnas against the police action outside the offices of the deputy commissioners in Punjab and other states.
"Thousands of farmers, including women, will take part in the dharnas. We will intensify our agitation in support of our demands," Pannu said.
Condemning the police action against the farmers, KMSC leader Sukhwinder Singh said, "Farmers did not block the roads. The Centre did. Even today we want to go to Delhi as our demands concern the Centre."
"Punjab Chief Minister Mann showed his 'loyalty' to the BJP government at the Centre by initiating the police action," he alleged.
Meanwhile, farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who is on an indefinite fast since November 26 last year, was taken to the Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences in Jalandhar. Later, he was taken to some other place.
On Wednesday, farmer leader Guramneet Singh Mangat said Abhimanyu Kohar, Kaka Singh Kotra and Manjit Singh Rai were among the detainees alongside Pandher and Dallewal.
The protesting farmers -- led by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha -- were camping at the Shambhu (Shambhu-Ambala) and Khanauri (Sangrur-Jind) border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 last year, when their march to Delhi was thwarted by security forces.
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