India’s police threaten to cancel protesting farmers’ passports as critics decry ‘fascist’ state

The ongoing protest march was sparked by the death of a 21-year-old farmer, allegedly during a clash with the police in Punjab

Farmers have also been protesting against New Delhi’s failure to implement a law to guarantee minimum support prices for 23 crops

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Farmers shout slogans during a demonstration in Amritsar on February 29 to seek justice for Shubhkaran Singh, a farmer who lost his life amid the ongoing farmers protest. Photo: AFP

Published: 8:30pm, 1 Mar 2024Updated: 10:21am, 2 Mar 2024

As protesting farmers consider resuming their march on New Delhi, they face a threat by Indian authorities to cancel their passports and visas for allegedly being involved in criminal acts, a move that critics have decried as illegal and “fascist”.

“We have identified those involved in violence coming to Haryana [the northern Indian state next to New Delhi] from Punjab ... We have identified them with CCTV cameras and drone cameras,” Joginder Sharma, the deputy superintendent of police of Ambala, said on Thursday. Ambala is the district in Haryana where hundreds of protesters have gathered.

“We will request the ministry and embassy to cancel their visas and passports. Their photos, names and addresses will be given to the passport office,” added Joginder.

The protest was sparked by the death of 21-year-old farmer Shubhkaran Singh, who was killed near Khanauri, a town in the state of Punjab, allegedly during clashes with the police on February 21. Twelve security personnel were also reportedly injured in the clashes.

On February 13, thousands of farmers from Punjab chanted “Delhi Chalo” (Let’s go to Delhi) as they marched towards the capital to hold India’s government accountable for unfulfilled promises, including a law to guarantee minimum support prices for 23 crops.

The march came to a halt at the village of Shambhu, near Haryana, about 125 miles (201 km) away from the capital, as a large police contingent used tear gas, rubber bullets, and what protesters described as pellet guns.