Chandigarh: To mark their protest against three contentious farm-bills, farmer organisations have called a “Bharat Bandh” on Monday and blocked highways along with railway tracks at various locations in the country.
On the directions of Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), farmers are holding protest at nearly 500 places in Punjab, including the sites of 108 pucca dharnas. They have called for the closure of government and private offices, educational and other institutions, shops, industries and commercial establishments. However, farmers were instructed by the SKM to allow passengers those are in emergency including ambulances during the road block.
Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi has extended support to the bandh. Similarly, Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Yadav announced to take part in the protest. The Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu governments also extended their full support to the Bandh. Congress has also said it will be joining the protests on Monday.
The bandh will be held from 6am to 4pm on Monday. No political parties will be given space on farmers’ stage, farmers said.
Live update-
– 25 trains affected due to Bharat Bandh: Railways
The Delhi-Amritsar Shan-e-Punjab, New Delhi-Moga Express, Old Delhi-Payhajot Express, Vande Bharat Express from New Delhi to Katra, and Amritsar Shatabdi are some of the trains affected.
– Punjab: The first Cabinet meeting of the full Council of Ministers as a meeting called to express solidarity with the farmers by the Punjab government led by Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Monday. Only farmer issues were discussed, Channi said.
-Mumbai: No impact of strike; shops, transport operating as usual in Mumbai. The local police have not deployed an extra security force at key junctions and roads in the wake of the Bharat Bandh
– Amritsar: Protestors block railway tracks near Amritsar on Bharat Bandh
-Delhi-Gurgaon border on high security, traffic restricted
– Muktsar: Farmers block all highways in the district.
– Delhi-Amritsar National Highway blocked
– Railway track blocked near Fatehgarh village in Charkhi Dadri district
– Rohtak: Farmers blocked all roads passing through Rohtak.
– Sangrur: Sangrur-Patiala, Sangrur-Ludhiana and Sangrur-Bathinda roads have been blocked by farmers.
– Road blocked at dhanana village in Bhiwani district.
– Chandigarh-Bathinda national highway near Passiana police station in Patiala district have been blocked.
– Hisar: A train has been halted by farmers near Ramayan village where farmers sit on dharna at a toll plaza.
– Ludas-Shahpur road in Hisar district also blocked.
– Jhajjar: The Rohtak-Delhi track is blocked by agitating farmers at Bahadurgarh railway station near Tikri border.
– Haryana: Paramilitary forces deployed in Jind district