Several injured as police fire tear gas at MGNREGA protesters in Khanna

Several MGNREGA workers, including women, were injured after police used tear gas and resorted to a baton charge to disperse protesters marching towards Punjab Panchayats Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond’s residence in Khanna on Wednesday, triggering sharp political reactions from opposition leaders.

The protest had been organised by MGNREGA employees and contractual workers from across Punjab, who gathered in large numbers at Prem Bhandari Park before taking out a march to press for the release of pending wages, regularisation of services and the fulfilment of other long-pending demands.

Advertisement

Police had erected barricades outside the minister’s residence on Amloh Road to prevent the demonstrators from moving ahead. As protesters attempted to cross the barricades, tensions escalated, leading to a confrontation between the two sides.

Officials said police first used tear gas to disperse the crowd before resorting to a lathi charge as the situation turned volatile. Several protesters sustained injuries during the police action and the ensuing commotion. Those injured, including women workers, were administered first aid.

Union leaders alleged that the demonstration had been peaceful and accused the police of using excessive force against workers who were seeking to submit their demands to the minister. They said MGNREGA staff had been serving rural development programmes in Punjab for nearly two decades but continued to work without regular employment status while several months’ salaries remained unpaid.

The unions warned that the agitation would be intensified if the state government failed to address their demands at the earliest.

The incident drew criticism from opposition parties, with Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring accusing the Bhagwant Mann government of responding to peaceful protesters with force instead of engaging in dialogue.

“I am deeply hurt after watching the visuals from Khanna. People were peacefully chanting ‘Satnam Waheguru’ while demanding their pending MGNREGA wages. Instead of listening to them, the government responded with tear gas shells,” Warring said in a social media post. He added that workers seeking their legitimate earnings should not be treated like criminals and asserted that Punjab “deserves compassion, accountability and justice—not repression.”

Shiromani Akali Dal leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal also condemned the police action, alleging that the Chief Minister had shown no concern for economically weaker sections. She questioned the withholding of salaries of MGNREGA workers while, according to her, large amounts were being spent on publicity and advertisements.

Senior SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia alleged that tear gas shells were fired at demonstrators who were peacefully chanting religious hymns outside the minister’s residence. In a strongly worded statement, he accused the government of suppressing workers demanding wages that had allegedly remained unpaid for several months and called on the state to immediately clear their dues.

There was no immediate response from the Punjab government or the police to the allegations made by the protesters and opposition leaders. The situation in the area remained under control after the demonstrators were dispersed, while further developments were awaited.