Thenation-wide bandh call given by the Farm Organizations today to mark the fourmonths of the farmers’ agitations against the three farm bills received anoverwhelming support from the residents of Punjab. Rail and road transportationservices were badly hit in almost all districts of Punjab as farmers, farmlabourers, and trade unions and among other activists who gave their support tothe Bandh Call squatted on railway lines, national highways and on otherprominent locations in the cities.
Roadsin Jalandhar wore a deserted look as very few people came out of their homes andmost of the markets remained closed. At some places, the protesters forcefullygot the telecom offices, shops and banks closed. There was also barricading done at some spots inJalandhar using cars, tractors etc. At some locations, the residents complainedthat the protesters didn’t allow them to pass through for medical emergenciesand that they were harried a lot while finding alternatives routes to theirdestinations.
Therewas minimal traffic on the main PAP chowk and other locations in the city,however, reports were received that at Phagwara railway station, the trainSachkhand Express was stopped. Meanwhile, there were no reports of any untowardincident in the city and nearby area till 4 pm.
Agroup of youngsters on cars and tractors took out a rally-cum-tour of the cityin order to ensure complete closure of shops in the city. They visited road toroad; markets to markets to check whether all the premises were closed. In Model Town area, scores of youngsters underthe leadership of youth leaders, stood at various points holding placards inhands having slogans ‘No farmers, No food’, to express their fulsome support tothe farmers.
HardikVerma, a final year Bcom student, who was spotted doing a Facebook live at thePPR Mall, here, said, “I do not belong to any political party or organisation,I am here for the ‘Annadata’ (farmers) of our state. I, along with a few of myfriends, decided to participate in the protests today with the sole motive ofmaking the city residents aware of the plight of farmers in the state viasocial media,” he said, adding that despite all the odds, the farmers are outon roads in Delhi and the centre government seems least bothered.
Arewe actually living in a democratic country? Hardik questioned thiscorrespondent saying the fact is farmers are not protesting just for theirrights, rather, these laws are harmful for every citizen of India, and it willforce us to buy even the cheapest farm produce in almost four times of the costof its production.
In Ludhiana andAmritsar
Thefarmers under the banner of Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee protestedbare-chested against the three farm laws in Amritsar. The protesters reportedlyblocked the Amritsar-New Delhi railway track, the Jodha Phatak in Vallah,Amritsar-Jalandhar GT, Lawrence road, railway station and bus stand road whileraising slogans against the Modi-led Centre government, and demanding immediatewithdrawal of the three farm laws.
Similarwas the situation in Ludhiana, where protesters in huge numbers blocked roadsand railway tracks. The markets also remained closed in Ludhiana.
In Delhi and UP
Therewas no much impact of the Bharat Bandh in the national capital and in majorityof the districts in Uttar Pradesh. Only a few districts in western UttarPradesh witnessed Bandh like situation. Rickshaws, buses and private vehiclesplied in South Delhi without any hindrance.
Meanwhile,the Bharat Bandh is being supported by representatives of various farmerorganisations, trade unions, student groups, lawyer associations, politicalparties and state governments.