As part of their Punjab bandh call, farmers blocked roads in numerous locations throughout the state on Monday, which had an impact on commuter traffic in a number of locations.
Vehicle traffic on the Patiala-Chandigarh National Highway was impacted by a sit-in that farmers witnessed at the Dhareri Jattan Toll Plaza on December 30.
Due to the Center’s refusal to abide by the requests of farmers who were protesting, Samyukta Kisan Morcha (a non-political organisation) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha called for a shutdown last week.
Farmers began to gather close to the city’s entrance at Amritsar’s Golden Gate, and they blocked roads in Bathinda’s Rampura Phul.
Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher stated on Sunday that emergency services will be permitted to function even if there will be a full bandh.
“The bandh will be observed from 7 am to 4 pm. However, emergency services will remain operational. Anyone flying to the airport to catch a flight or anyone going to attend a job interview, or anyone has to attend a wedding… all these things have been left out of our bandh call,” he stated, according to The Ultimate News.
Hundreds of farmers have been protesting at the Punjab-Haryana border demanding a legal guarantee of a minimum support price (MSP) for crops.
The Punjab Bandh call has caused the Railways to cancel 150 trains. Among them are flagships such as Shatabdi and Vande Bharat.
Amid the Punjab bandh, Jagjit Singh Dallewal’s hunger strike is still going on.
On the other hand, the 35th day of 70-year-old farmer activist Jagjit Singh Dallewal’s hunger strike began Monday. Dallewal has not yet accepted medical care.
Dallewal had previously declared that he would not break his fast unless the demands of the farmers were met by the government.
The Punjab administration has been granted until December 31 by the Supreme Court to convince Dallewal to move to a hospital. The state is also free to ask the Centre for logistical support if needed.
Since February 13, after security forces halted their march to Delhi, farmers operating under the aegis of SKM (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have been camped at the Shambhu and Khanauri border posts between Punjab and Haryana.
Between December 6 and 14, a “jatha” (group) of 101 farmers made three attempts to march on foot to Delhi before being thwarted by Haryana police forces.
In addition to the MSP, farmers are calling for “justice” for the victims of the Lakhimpur Kheri riots in 2021, a pension, no increase in power rates, the cancellation of police cases, and a debt forgiveness.