Punjab Bandh: Buses, Rails Suspended

by The_unmuteenglish

Chandigarh, 30 Sec. 2024: In response to the Punjab Bandh called by farmers, roads across the Doaba region were blocked and public transport was suspended on Monday, crippling traffic on both national and state highways.

The shutdown, which took place from 7 am to 4 pm, was organized by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, protesting the central government’s failure to guarantee a legal minimum support price (MSP) for crops.

Businesses in Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur, and Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar remained closed as market associations chose to support the bandh. Public and private buses stayed off roads, and transport unions parked their vehicles along the roadside, honoring the call of the farmers. Trains were also suspended, with no services entering Punjab, as farmers intensified their protests on key roads and railway lines.

Protests were staged at major locations across the region. In Jalandhar, farmers gathered at five locations, including outside Jang-e-Azadi near Kartarpur, at the Dhanowali railway crossing, and along national highways in Phillaur, Nakodar, and Bhogpur. In Kapurthala, farmers blocked the national highway near Phagwara and Dhareri Jattan toll plaza, disrupting traffic on the Patiala-Chandigarh national highway.

Similarly, in Hoshiarpur, unions set up blockades on the main entry points of the city and held sit-ins, while farmers in Phagwara shut down key roads at the Sugarmill crossing and Behram toll plaza, causing traffic jams on routes to Nakodar, Hoshiarpur, and Nawanshahr.

Several grain markets, including those in Amritsar and Bathinda, were also shut down as part of the bandh. In Amritsar, farmers began assembling near Golden Gate in the morning, and in Bathinda’s Rampura Phul, they blocked roads leading into the city.

Despite the widespread disruption, emergency and essential services were allowed to function. Manjit Singh Rai, the General Secretary of Bharti Kisan Union (Doaba), assured that emergency vehicles would have free passage.

Similarly, Sarwan Singh Pandher, a prominent farmer leader in Amritsar, stated that “all emergency and essential services, including those related to airport access and important personal commitments like weddings and job interviews, will be allowed to operate.”

Farmers claimed the bandh to be a success, citing not only the closures but also the suspension of train services entering Punjab. “Today, Punjabis have shown unity, supporting this cause completely,” Pandher said.

The impact of the bandh was not limited to Punjab, as neighboring Haryana experienced ripple effects.

In Ambala, hundreds of daily commuters found themselves stranded as buses from Ambala to Chandigarh, Mohali, Patiala, and other nearby cities were delayed or rerouted. Sangeeta, a commuter from Ambala to Zirakpur, shared her frustration, saying, “All the buses heading to Chandigarh were overcrowded.” Many outsiders, including students in Chandigarh’s coaching centers, faced difficulties in reaching their destinations due to the disruption.

In the midst of the bandh, farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal’s hunger strike entered its 35th day. The 70-year-old leader, who has rejected medical assistance, remains firm in his protest, demanding a legal guarantee for MSP. Hundreds of farmers continue to protest at the Punjab-Haryana border, as Dallewal maintains that he will not break his fast until the government accedes to the farmers’ demands.

Dallewal’s protest has garnered significant attention, and the Supreme Court recently gave the Punjab government a deadline until December 31 to persuade Dallewal to end his hunger strike and seek medical treatment. The court also granted the state permission to seek logistical support from the central government if needed.

Since February 13, farmers have been camped at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana, in response to their failed attempts to march to Delhi.

A group of 101 farmers tried to march on foot towards Delhi three times between December 6 and 14 but were halted by security forces from Haryana.

In addition to the MSP guarantee, farmers are also seeking a debt waiver, pension benefits, the withdrawal of electricity tariff hikes, the annulment of police cases, and justice for victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

(With PTI inputs)

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