Chandigarh: Farmer organisations have called for a 10-hour bandh on Monday, which will continue till 4 pm. At 7 am, farmers blocked the main road and the overhead railway line on Aerocity Road in Mohali, Punjab.
During the blockade, emergency services and passengers heading to the airport were allowed to pass. In light of the Punjab bandh, the police have issued a traffic advisory, advising people to take alternate routes. Due to the bandh, road and train traffic in Punjab have been significantly affected. Many train routes have been changed, and 163 trains have been canceled.
Key locations affected by protests
In Mohali, Punjab, farmers blocked the main road and the overhead railway line on Aerocity Road at 7 am. The protests also spread to other key locations, including the Dhareri Jattan Toll Plaza on the Patiala-Chandigarh National Highway, Golden Gate in Amritsar, Rampura Phul in Bathinda, and various areas in Phagwara. Road traffic was completely blocked at these spots, making commuting difficult for many.
As a result, thousands of daily commuters, including those traveling to Chandigarh, Mohali, and nearby cities, were severely affected. Public transport was largely shut down, and private bus operators also suspended services in response to the bandh call.
In Amritsar, large groups of farmers gathered at the city’s entry points, while in Bathinda, protests were organized on busy roads. Markets in several places, including the Mohali district, remained deserted, and businesses stayed closed. Grain markets were also shut down in many areas, adding to the disruption.
Essential services allowed to operate
Despite the bandh’s impact, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher assured that essential services, including emergency services, would continue. He said that individuals traveling for critical reasons, such as catching flights or attending job interviews and weddings, would be allowed to pass through the protests.
Pandher emphasized the farmers’ unity, claiming that the bandh had received widespread support from transporters, employee unions, traders, and religious bodies. He also mentioned that no trains were entering Punjab, as train services were completely suspended across the state.
Jagjit Singh Dallewal’s hunger strike
In the midst of the bandh, the hunger strike of farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal entered its 35th day. Dallewal, 70, has refused medical treatment and has stated that he will not break his fast until the government agrees to the farmers’ demand for a legal guarantee of MSP.
Punjab government has been given time by the Supreme Court till December 31 to persuade Dallewal to shift to a hospital for treatment. The court has also allowed the state government to seek logistical support from the central government if needed.
What are the demands of farmers?
- Law to guarantee purchase at MSP.
- Price as per Swaminathan Commission.
- Land Acquisition Act 2013 should be implemented.
- The cases filed in the movement should be withdrawn.
- Farmers’ loans should be waived and pension should be given.
- The government should pay the premium of the crop insurance scheme.
- Jobs to the families of the slain farmers.
- The culprits of Lakhimpur incident should be punished.
- 200 days of work in MNREGA, Rs 700 wages.
- Strict laws on fake seeds and fertilizers.
- Formation of commission on purchase of spices.
- Employment to the children of landless farmers.
- Free trade agreements should be put on hold.
