Farmers stopped at Punjab-Haryana border en route to Delhi rally against India-U.S. trade deal

Published 21 July 2026 · local

Farmers from Punjab under the banner of ‘Desh Bachao Morcha’ (save the country rally) were on Tuesday (July 21, 2026) stopped by the police at

Farmers from Punjab under the banner of ‘Desh Bachao Morcha’ (save the country rally) were on Tuesday (July 21, 2026) stopped by the police at Shambhu-Ambala and Khanauri-Jind, the inter-State boundaries between Haryana and Punjab, as they were heading to Delhi to participate in a rally against the proposed India-U.S. trade deal. Farmers attempting to enter Haryana in their vehicles and buses found multi-layer barricades installed by the Haryana Police at the inter-State boundaries. Ambala police has issued a traffic advisory asking people to take alternative roads as the Shambhu-Ambala road has been closed at the inter-State boundary.

Farmers wanted to peacefully go to Delhi and participate in the rally but the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Haryana government had stopped them by erecting barricades, Sarwan Singh Pandher, farmer leader and coordinator of the Desh Bachao Morcha, said. “We are ready to talk to the local administration and are in no mood for confrontation,” he said. Meanwhile, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU)-Charuni president Gurnam Singh Charuni was allegedly detained by the police at Kurukshetra in Haryana on Monday (July 20, 2026) as he was headed to Delhi for the rally.

Mr. Charuni’s vehicle was intercepted by the police near Pehowa, BKU (Charuni) spokesperson Prince Waraich told media persons. BKU (Charuni) is a member of the Desh Bachao Morcha. “We urge the Central government to prioritise the interests of farmers, workers, small traders, small industries, and India’s economic and food sovereignty, and refrain from implementing any agreement that goes against the interests of the people,” Mr. Waraich said. “If our concerns continue to be ignored and the agreement is pushed forward, the movement will be intensified,” he said. Farmers associated with the Desh Bachao Morcha, an umbrella body of farmer unions from different States of the country, had announced they would hold a rally in New Delhi on July 21.

The India-U.S. trade deal is not limited merely to the import and export of a few products, the Desh Bachao Morcha said, adding that the deal may instead cover several crucial sectors, including agriculture, dairy, industry, digital trade, services, intellectual property rights, energy, investment, and market access.