Daily Life Hit In Punjab Due To Farmers' 9-Hour Bandh; Rail, Bus Services Affected

CHANDIGARH: Normal life was hit across Punjab on Monday due to a nine-hour 'bandh' called by farmers protesting against the Centre for their various demands including a legal guarantee of a minimum support price for their crops. Rail operations in Punjab were mostly suspended, buses and other vehicles remained off the road, leaving passengers stranded; and shops and establishments downed shutters as the 7 am-4 pm bandh passed off peacefully. Petrol pumps were also shut, a senior farmer leader said.

Farmer leaders who gave the bandh call more than a week ago declared it "successful" and thanked the "three crore Punjabis for extending their full support". Amid a harsh winter chill and dense fog at some places, farmers staged 'dharnas' on several roads and highways including in Patiala, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Ferozepur, Bathinda, and Pathankot, crippling the traffic.

The sit-in at the Dhareri Jattan Toll Plaza affected vehicular movement on the Patiala-Chandigarh National Highway. At Amritsar's Golden Gate, scores of farmers staged a 'dharna' near the city's entry point. Police there assisted some stranded foreign tourists by arranging auto rickshaws for them to reach the Golden Temple.

At some places, commuters were seen arguing with the protesting farmers blocking the roads. The call for the statewide shutdown was given by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha over the Centre not acting on the farmers' demand for a legal guarantee for the MSP. The bandh was also in support of farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal (70) who has been on a fast-unto-death at Khanauri border protest site over the non-fulfilment of the demands. His health has deteriorated during the fast which has completed 35 days.

After the bandh, Dallewal thanked the people of Punjab for supporting and making the Bandh a "success". In a video message, he said the Centre should pay attention to their demands. Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher told reporters in Amritsar that emergency and other essential services were allowed to operate. He said those going to airport or for a job interview or a wedding were allowed to go.

"Punjabiyat has won. On behalf of both the forums (spearheading protests at Shambhu and Khanauri), I want to thank three crore Punjabis for extending their full support to the bandh," Pandher said after the bandh hours. He also said vegetable mandis, grain markets and petrol pumps also remained shut. "All establishments remained closed. The bandh has been successful and Punjabis have shown great support for Dallewal sahab," he said.

Earlier, Pandher had said, "train services are also completely suspended and no train is entering Punjab". Pandher also claimed their strike received strong support from transporters, employee unions, traders and religious bodies. He said the bandh's impact could be seen at more than 250 points across the state. He said BJP leaders had claimed common people will not support the Bandh, "but three crore Punjabis have given an answer".

The Railways had cancelled several trains passing through the state during the bandh period and also short-terminated or short-originated some trains. Passengers were seen stranded at stations in Ferozepur, Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Bathinda. A cancer patient from Gujarat was stranded at a train station in Ferozepur. His wife said they had to go to Himachal Pradesh to get some medicines for him, but with train services hit, they were left in a lurch.

In Phagwara, farmers staged a dharna near the Sugarmill Crossing on NH-44, blocking the roads going from Phagwara towards Nakodar, Hoshiarpur, and Nawanshahr. A dharna was also staged at the Behram toll plaza on Phagwara-Banga road. Public transport remained off the road at several places, while most private bus operators suspended services. Many long-distance private buses and trucks carrying fruits and vegetables were held up due to the bandh.

In the Ludhiana district, markets like Chaura Bazar, Saban Bazar, Vishwakarma Chowk, Gill Road and Sarabha Nagar had few shops opened. The city's main bus stand was completely empty. In Bathinda, all but a few chemist shops were found shut. Roads from Bathinda district leading to Amritsar, Sri Ganganagar, and Muktsar were blocked by BKU Sidhupur activists.

Addressing the farmers, their leader Ram Singh Deon said, "This is a fight for our crops and for our future generations." Kapurthala and Jalandhar also observed the bandh with all commercial establishments there remaining closed. Streets in many places in the state were clear of carts- and rickshaw-pullers. Banks, though open, were empty while government offices and institutions remained largely deserted.

Langars of tea and 'daal-parshada' were arranged for the protesters. The bandh's impact was also seen in some neighbouring areas of the state, including Ambala. Hundreds of daily commuters travelling from Ambala to Chandigarh, Mohali, Patiala and other nearby cities of Punjab were stuck. Many outsiders studying in coaching centres in Chandigarh faced a tough time reaching their destinations.

Farmers, under the banner of SKM (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, have been camping at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13, after their march to Delhi was stopped by security forces.