The govts of Punjab and Haryana are at variance over reopening of Shambhu inter-state border, which was shut by Haryana due to the protest by two farmer outfits over pending agri-demands including legal guarantee of MSP for their produce. Both states have presented conflicting proposals before the SC.
While the Haryana has proposed that the farmers unions camping at the Shambhu border should be asked to withdraw their call to march to Delhi in case the border is reopened, Punjab has proposed that it would not have any objection to partial opening of the highway to facilitate movement of farmers towards Delhi in vehicles.
Haryana has claimed that due to continuous presence of agitators at the site, there is high likelihood of tension annoyance, obstruction…disturbance of peace and tranquillity.
In contrast to this, Punjab has stated that farmers are sitting peacefully without any kind of ‘armoured’ trolleys or JCBs and are stranded on the NH-44 and NH-52 because of heavy barricading and other obstacles erected/installed by Haryana on the inter-state borders.
These assertions have been made by both states in affidavits filed by SP Ambala Surinder Singh Bhoria and SP Patiala Varun Sharma before the apex court in response to the proposal sought by it.
The matter reached the apex court after Haryana govt challenged the order of a division bench of Punjab and Haryana high court asking Haryana to remove the barricades from Shambhu border and to restore the movement of vehicles on the national highway. As per the Haryana affidavit, the state is more than willing to remove the barricading in a phased manner to initially allow free movement of two-wheelers, then four-wheelers and subsequently heavy vehicles.
According to Haryana, this plan can only be initiated if Punjab is directed by the HC to shift the farmers protesting in its area to designated areas for peaceful protest.
It has been stated that the protesting farmers should also be directed to join the proceedings before the committee of eminent persons that will be appointed by the SC for peaceful and early resolution to the matter.
In his affidavit, Patiala SP has submitted some photographs taken by drone at Shambhu and Khanauri, Punjab, and claimed that the agitating farmers are sitting peacefully in the state and no barricading has been done by the state.
The SP Patiala’s affidavit also stated that on July 30, the number of protesting farmers was down to around 600-700 from the earlier 11,000-12,000, and the “present situation is peaceful”.
Punjab further submitted that is the domain of the Centre to look into the demands of farmers. The state govt is also sensitive to financial distress caused on account of closure of the national highway, which is a major arterial road connecting Punjab with the national capital and Haryana, and would endeavour to assist in opening of the national highway, as is being proposed in the plea.
