NH-52 to reopen as farmers end Khanauri sit-in after central invite to talks

The Khanauri border standoff between Punjab and Haryana concluded on Wednesday when the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Samyukta Kisan Morcha) called off its sit-in on NH-52 after the central government agreed to hold talks with the farmer organization. The closure of the national highway had lasted for four days since Sunday. This development also presents the opportunity for resuming discussions between the central government and the SKM (Samyukta Kisan Morcha) after 17 months of no dialogue.

A meeting between an SKM delegation and Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, a former Haryana chief minister, is scheduled for September 4 in New Delhi. Haryana's government will organize this meeting. SKM leader Abhimanyu Kohar stated that the Union minister will meet the farmer delegation on September 4, and he can also arrange a separate meeting with Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on the same day or later.

Jagdish Chander, the Narwana Sub-Divisional Magistrate, confirmed the meeting after visiting the Khanauri border with Punjab government officials. He urged the farmers to end their sit-in. NH-52 remained closed for the fourth consecutive day on Wednesday as Haryana authorities sealed the highway using boulders, barbed wire, barricades, heavy vehicles, and a strong security presence.

Once the farmers vacated the site, the highway is expected to reopen shortly. SKM convenor Jagjit Singh Dallewal addressed the farmers in the presence of Haryana officials at the Khanauri border. He announced that the sit-in has been postponed due to the meeting invitation. However, he warned that SKM members nationwide would converge on Jantar Mantar to protest if the September 4 meeting is canceled or postponed.

Dallewal also hinted that the meeting could be the first step towards discussions on the India-US trade deal, a major concern for the farmers. The SKM had occupied the service road since August 16, preventing its members from starting their Kisan Bachao Paidal Yatra from Khanauri to Jantar Mantar in Delhi. The planned 228 km march was halted due to multiple barricades and security measures on NH-52.

Farmers had been holding protests at Shambhu and Khanauri borders since February 13, 2024, mainly seeking a legal guarantee for minimum support price. Seven rounds of talks took place between farmer leaders and a panel of Union ministers in Chandigarh, but no dialogue occurred after March 19, 2025. Unlike previous talks, the September 4 meeting is expected to be a direct discussion between the SKM delegation and the Union government, without the Punjab government's coordination.

Farmers had planned to march bare-chested towards the sealed border on Wednesday, but the action was canceled following the meeting invitation.