Chandigarh Police used tear gas and water cannons on Saturday to disperse supporters of the Qaumi Insaaf Morcha who attempted to forcibly enter Chandigarh from the Yadavindra Public School border in Mohali. The protesters were demanding the release of jailed MP Amritpal Singh.
Police action at Mohali border as protesters try to enter Chandigarh
The protesters attempted to remove police barricades and move towards Chandigarh, following which the police used water cannons and fired tear gas shells to disperse them. According to The Tribune, the situation escalated when supporters tried to push past security barriers.
Some protesters reportedly tried to remove barricades and barbed wire, but were unsuccessful. They also attempted to breach the barricades using tractors. Despite repeated appeals by the police to move back, the protesters remained determined to proceed towards Chandigarh.
Heavy security deployment amid Qaumi Insaaf Morcha march
Visuals from the scene showed police using water cannons amid heavy security deployment as protesters marched forward. The demonstration was part of the Qaumi Insaaf Morcha's larger protest, which had been announced earlier with a march planned towards the Governor House in Chandigarh.
"Police in Chandigarh used tear gas and water cannons to disperse protesters from the Qaumi Insaaf Morcha. The group is demanding the release..." — Times Now via Facebook
The protest turned confrontational as supporters attempted to break through police lines. According to Hindustan Times, the march to the Governor House was disrupted as police moved in to control the crowd.
What the Qaumi Insaaf Morcha protest demands
The protesters are demanding the release of jailed MP Amritpal Singh, who remains in custody. The demonstration drew supporters from various areas who gathered at the Mohali border with the intention of entering Chandigarh to press their demands.
- Protesters attempted to forcibly enter Chandigarh from the Yadavindra Public School border in Mohali
- Police used water cannons and fired tear gas shells to disperse the crowd
- Some protesters tried to breach barricades using tractors but were unsuccessful
- Repeated police appeals to move back were ignored by the demonstrators
Our Take: Force alone will not resolve the Qaumi Insaaf Morcha standoff
To put it plainly, this is a situation where both sides have dug in. The police had a duty to maintain order and prevent a forced entry into Chandigarh, and they acted within their mandate. But the use of tear gas and water cannons is a sign that dialogue has failed or was never seriously attempted.
The protesters, for their part, showed they were willing to risk confrontation, even using tractors to try to break through barricades. That is dangerous and cannot be allowed. However, the underlying demand — the release of a jailed MP — is a political question that will not be settled by dispersing crowds.
What readers should take from this is that the Qaumi Insaaf Morcha is not going away, and neither is the police's resolve to keep Chandigarh secure. Unless there is a political solution or a clear channel of communication, we can expect more such clashes. The authorities should consider whether force alone is the right answer, or whether opening a dialogue with the protest leaders might prevent the next confrontation.
