Punjab bandh: Farmers in Punjab have announced a statewide shutdown on Monday which is set to disrupt road and rail traffic between 7:00 am and 4:00 pm. The call for the bandh comes as part of an ongoing protest led by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha. These groups have been staging protests at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points since February 13, following their halted march to Delhi by security forces.
Prominent farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal (67) has been on a fast-unto-death at the Khanauri border since November 26 to push for the fulfillment of their demands. Among their key demands is the legal guarantee of Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops, a long-standing issue in agricultural reforms. As per reports, the bandh is expected to impact transportation and public services, as farmers seek to intensify their pressure on the central government to address their concerns.
What's open and what's closed
In solidarity with the farmers' statewide bandh, bus services across Punjab will be suspended for varying durations on Monday. The Punjab Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) bus services will remain inactive from 10 am to 2 pm, following the announcement by the PRTC Punbus Employee Union in support of the ongoing farmer agitation. Meanwhile, private bus operators have extended full backing, declaring the suspension of services statewide from 7 am to 4 am.
The bandh will also disrupt both road and rail traffic during these hours. As per reports, government and private institutions across the state will also remain closed from 7 am to 4 pm. However, emergency services will remain unaffected to ensure essential operations. Various groups, including traders, transporters, employees’ unions, toll plaza workers, ex-servicemen, sarpanches, teachers' unions, and social organisations, have announced their support for the farmers’ cause.
Why has bandh been called?
Kisan Mazdoor Sanghrash Committee's leader Sarvan Singh Pandher confirmed that the bandh is part of their ongoing protest and is aimed at raising their demands. This bandh will force the Centre to accept the demands of farmers, the farmer leader said as he slammed the union government for failing to accept the demands of farmers, he added. The decision to give a call for a 'Punjab bandh' was taken last week by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha.
Farmers' protest and their demands
Besides a legal guarantee on the MSP for crops, the farmers are demanding a debt waiver, pension for farmers and farm labourers, no hike in the electricity tariff, withdrawal of police cases and "justice" for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence. Farmers under the banner of SKM (Non-Political) and KMM have been camping at Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 after their march to Delhi was stopped by security forces.
A "jatha" (group) of 101 farmers made three attempts to enter Delhi on foot on December 6, December 8 and again on December 14. They were not allowed to proceed by security personnel in Haryana. Farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal (70) has been sitting on a fast-unto-death at the Khanauri border since November 26 to put pressure on the Centre to accept the farmers' demands, including a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP).
(With inputs from agencies)
