Normal life was hit as farmers blocked highways and squatted on railway tracks at many places on the occasion of the Bharat Bandh called on Monday against the three contentious farm laws. The bandh began at 6 am and ended at 4 pm on Monday. BKU leader Rakesh Tikait said, “Our Bharat Bandh was successful. We had the full support of farmers…We can’t seal down everything as we have to facilitate the movement of people. We are ready for talks with the government but no discussions are happening.”
In both Punjab and Haryana, national highways, state highways, link road and railway tracks have been severally blocked, bringing road and rail traffic to a halt. In Punjab farmers protested at over 350 places. Punjab’s Additional Director General of Police(AGDP) has issued instructions to the police forces of the state to ensure law and order at protest places. A close watch is being kept at all the dharna sites. In Haryana too, highways are blocked 25 places alone in the Jind district.
In Punjab, the ruling Congress said it firmly stands by the farm unions’ Bharat Bandh call against the three contentious laws. The shutdown was almost complete in the state, with transport services suspended during the bandh period, while shops and other commercial establishments remained shut at most places. National and state highways in several districts, including Amritsar, Rupnagar, Jalandhar, Pathankot, Sangrur, Mohali, Ludhiana, Ferozepur, Bathinda, were blocked by the protesters.
Vehicular movement was disrupted in several parts of Jharkhand as supporters of the Bharat Bandh blocked roads and highways. Shops were shut in state capital Ranchi, while government offices and banks functioned as usual. Farmers took out rallies on the major roads and held meetings.
Commercial establishments and local transport were operating as usual and normal life remained unaffected across Maharashtra even as various non-BJP parties held demonstrations and bike rallies in parts of the state in support of the Bharat Bandh called by farmer unions against the Centre’s three agri laws, officials said. An APMC remained closed in Pune and a pro-farmers’ outfit staged a road blockage in Nagpur, while some protesters were detained at some places and later released, they said.
