On Monday, the Framers across Punjab are staging widespread blockades. The farmers have blocked roads and rail as part of a state-wide bandh. This has caused disruptions for commuters and freight movement.
The state-wide strike is to be observed from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday. The shutdown was called by Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha. The farmers asked the central government to meet their demands, including a legal guarantee for a minimum support price (MSP) for crops.
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The strike comes in the support of 70-year-old farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal. He has been on hunger strike since November 26. Today marks the 35th day of the Farmers’ protest.
According to reports, Dallewal has been refusing medical treatment. He has vowed to be on fast until the Central government agrees to 13 farm demands. This includes making the Minimum Support Price (MSP) a legal guarantee for all crops.
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Meanwhile, the Supreme Court directed the Punjab government to persuade Dallewal to end his fast-unto-death. The SC also directed to seek medical care, granting it the option to seek the Centre’s assistance if needed.
To maintain law and order, around 600 police personnel were deployed across Punjab’s Mohali district. The senior police officers are monitoring the situation closely.
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The Farmers have blocked key routes in Punjab. This includes Airport Road at IISER Chowk in Mohali. The Kurali Road Toll Plaza is also blocked affecting vehicular movement on the Patiala-Chandigarh National Highway. Furthermore, the Ambala-Delhi Highway Toll Plaza near Lalru and the Kharar-Morinda Highway have also been blocked.
In addition, the farmers have congregated in large numbers at Amritsar’s Golden Gate near the city’s entry point. The major highways and marketplaces across Punjab remained shut. More than 200 trains, including Vande Bharat and Shatabdi, were affected due to bandh in Punjab. Several schools and offices had announced a holiday in the wake of the shutdown call.
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The railway services were also struck by the protesting farmers. Farmers’ ‘Rail Roko Andolan’ resulted in the cancellation of 163 trains. Over 19 others short-terminated, 15 short-originated, 15 delayed, and nine halted en route.
Further adding to the trouble, Buses were not seen on the roads. This comes after almost all private bus transporters have joined the shutdown. Along with farmers, women and aged people have also hit the streets. This has forced a shutdown of a handful of shops that were open on Monday.
According to reports, the Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher has assured that emergency services, including flights, and medical needs will not be disrupted. Furthermore, wedding or job interview-related travel will also be excluded from the bandh.
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The ongoing protests and shutdown have seen farmers camping at the Punjab-Haryana border since February 13. This comes after the protesting farmers were stopped during their march to Delhi. Despite several attempts, Haryana’s security forces stopped the farmers’ march on foot to the national capital earlier this month.
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