As Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s ‘Shukrana yatra’ (the rally of gratitude) entered its third day on Friday, several government school teachers’ union leaders and protesters across Punjab alleged that they were either detained, taken to police stations, or placed under house arrest to prevent them from reaching the chief minister’s route and raising questions over pending demands.

The yatra on Friday started from Bathinda and was scheduled to move through Talwandi Sabo, Mansa, Dhanaula, and reach Sangrur by evening. The purpose of Mann’s rally, which began on May 6, was to express gratitude after the implementation of the Jaagat Jot Shri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026 — the stricter anti-sacrilege law passed by the Punjab Government.

Even before the yatra began, leaders associated with the Democratic Teachers Front (DTF) and the 3704 Teachers’ Union, Punjab, were allegedly detained by the police in Mansa district. The detained leaders are government school teachers who have been participating in protests against the Punjab government over various demands, including the implementation of the pay scale.

According to Harjinder Singh, president of the 3704 Teachers’ Union Punjab, union leaders Balwinder Singh Gharangana, DTF Mansa district president Karamjit Singh Tamkot, DTF leaders Gurpreet Singh Bhikhi, and Kuldeep Singh Akkawali were detained and taken to Kot Dharmu police station in Mansa.

“We strongly condemn this disgraceful behaviour of the Punjab government and demand the immediate release of our fellow leaders. However, we had planned no programme in this yatra owing to its religious nature,” he said.

On Thursday, the Punjab Police had also allegedly placed Raman Kumar, a leader of the Berozgar Sanjha Morcha, under house arrest at his residence in Malout in Sri Muktsar Sahib district.

“Even on Friday, my house arrest is continuing, though the chief minister’s rally route does not pass through Muktsar. They suspected that we may reach the yatra and question the Chief Minister about the jobs promised before the 2022 Assembly elections,” Kumar alleged.

He further claimed that Sukhwinder Singh Dhilwan, state convenor of the Berozgar Sanjha Morcha, was detained on Thursday evening while returning from a protest outside the Sangrur Deputy Commissioner’s office to his home in Barnala. According to Kumar, Dhilwan had not been released till Friday. Berozgar Sanjha Morcha, comprising unions of unemployed youths, has been up in arms against the government’s broken promise of recruitments in various departments.

Mann government’s dissent questioned

Before his detention, Dhilwan had questioned the government’s dissent during the yatra.

“What kind of ‘Shukrana Yatra’ is this? Why has the police once again been sent to the homes of unemployed youth? If jobs had been provided in the education and health departments during the last four years, things would not have reached a stage where people have to be detained to avoid protests,” he said.

He also claimed that the unemployed youth had not announced any protest against the yatra and only intended to accompany the chief minister while demanding employment.

Meanwhile, farmer organisations also alleged that they were prevented from approaching the chief minister’s convoy on Thursday.

According to Sarwan Singh Pandher, coordinator of Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, farmers and labourers had planned to question the chief minister regarding the alleged theft of trolleys and belongings worth nearly Rs 3.77 crore during the dismantling of the Shambhu and Khanauri protest sites on March 19, 2025, along with other pending demands.

Pandher claimed that protesters gathered at villages Tahli Sahib, Jabbowal, Vanncharhi, and Bandala on Thursday and attempted to march towards the Jalandhar-Amritsar National Highway but were stopped by heavy police deployment and road blockades using tipper trucks, buses, and other vehicles.

“Despite the restrictions, a group led by farmer leader Germanjit Singh Bandala managed to reach the highway and waved black flags to the Chief Minister’s convoy,” he alleged.

‘Police continued blockade even after convoy moved past’

Pandher further stated that the police continued blocking protesters even after the convoy had moved towards Tarn Taran, leading to arguments and minor scuffles between protesters and police personnel.

In Ferozepur on Thursday evening, members of Sanjha Morcha Zira also alleged that several activists were placed under house arrest as the convoy entered the district.

Roman Brar, convenor of the morcha, said they wanted to invite the chief minister to visit the ongoing protest site outside an ethanol plant at village Mansoorwal in Zira constituency. The protest demanding permanent closure of the unit has been continuing since July 2022. The house arrest ended after the chief minister crossed Ferozepur, said Brar.

The Shukrana yatra began on Wednesday from Rupnagar and halted at Jalandhar the same evening. On Thursday, the convoy travelled through Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, and Faridkot before halting at Bathinda. The yatra is scheduled to conclude on Saturday after travelling from Sangrur to Patiala and culminating at Fatehgarh Sahib.

On Friday evening, the yatra also visited villages Bargari and Behbal Kalan, which had witnessed the 2015 sacrilege incidents involving the Guru Granth Sahib. Two persons were killed in the police firing at Behbal Kalan on October 14, 2015, during protests against the sacrilege incidents.

AAP leaders said the yatra was being organised after the Punjab Assembly passed a stricter sacrilege law earlier this year, fulfilling a long-pending demand that had gained momentum following the 2015 incidents.