Chandigarh: The shutdown call by farmers unions in Punjab over their demands, including a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) for crops had thrown the normal life out of gear in the state on Monday. As part of the Punjab Bandh call, farmers blocked roads at many places across the state and train services were also affected, including Vande Bharat and Shatabadi.
Private bus transporters also joined the shutdown. The bandh, which started at 7 m will continue till 4 pm. The Punjab Bandh call was given by Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha.
Visuals of Punjab Bandh:
The bandh call was given in support of farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal who has been on a hunger strike for more than a month seeking the implementation of farmers’ demands.
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– Most of the national highways in several cities and towns remained shut, badly impacting the movement of daily commuters and office-goers.
– There was no report of any untoward incident as the police were seen asking the motorists to avoid travelling or take link roads to reach their destinations.
-There are reports of the shutdown of shops and business establishments from Mohali, Patiala, Ludhiana, Moga, Ferozepur, Bathinda, Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar and other places.
-Notably, the impact of the shutdown was more effective in rural areas where farmers, carrying their outfit flags, closed almost all roads.
-With the private bus transporters joining the strike, most of the private buses were off roads in Punjab. Several schools and offices had announced a holiday in the wake of the shutdown call, reported ANI.
-In Chandigarh, the impact of the shutdown was not seen. Protesting farm unions last week announced that they have received assurance from a wide spectrum of employee unions, traders, and transporters for joining their Punjab shutdown on December 30 in support of their demands.
-Kisan Mazdoor Morcha leader Sarwan Singh Pandher has clarified that emergency services, passengers bound for airports, and students going for exams would be exempted from the shutdown.
-“Emergency services like medical services will continue, airport passengers will not be stopped, vehicles of marriage parties also will not be stopped. Besides, students will also be allowed to go for their exams. We urge the entire Punjab, especially the youth, to follow what the forum decides,” he has told the media.
-The farmers have been camping at Shambhu and Khanauri borders between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 in support of their long-pending demands.
What are farmers’ demands?
Besides the legal MSP for crops, they have been demanding loan waivers and reforms to improve conditions in the agricultural sector. Another farm union, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) has written to President Droupadi Murmu, seeking an appointment with her to discuss their issues. The SKM said they wanted to address the situation surrounding farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal’s hunger strike and other “pressing issues”, including the introduction of a National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing.
Dallewal’s fast-unto-death entered the 35th day on Monday. The Supreme Court has given the Punjab government time till December 31 to persuade Dallewal to shift to a hospital and allowed the AAP government to take support from the centre if necesssary.
(With inputs from ANI)
