Punjab Bandh: Traffic, Daily Activities Disrupted As Farmers Call For Statewide Shutd
Punjab Bandh: Traffic, Daily Activities Disrupted As Farmers Call For Statewide Shutdown
M.U.H
30/12/202437
A state-wide shutdown has been called by farmer unions in Punjab on Monday to protest the Centre’s refusal to meet their demands. This has severely disrupted traffic and daily activities across Punjab on Monday.
The Bandh call has been given by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha - both organisations have been at the forefront of the ongoing farmer protests for a legal guarantee on the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops.
In a statement ahead of the bandh, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher clarified that the shutdown was being observed strictly for 9 hours, from 7 AM to 4 PM. He assured that emergency services, such as medical services, would continue to function normally, and exceptions would be made for essential travel, including airport trips, job interviews, or family events like weddings.
While the bandh caused considerable disruption, the protestors remained determined, expressing frustration over the government’s lack of action on their long-standing demands.
Protesting farmers have blocked major roads, toll plazas, and key intersections, causing widespread commuter inconvenience. In Patiala, farmers staged a sit-in at the Dhareri Jattan Toll Plaza, halting traffic on the busy Patiala-Chandigarh National Highway.
Meanwhile, in Amritsar, farmers gathered near the Golden Gate, one of the city’s main entry points, and similar protests were reported in Bathinda, where roads were blocked in Rampura Phul.
In Mohali, which witnessed some of the most intense protests, farmer unions have set up blockades at multiple locations, including the Bhagomajra Toll Plaza on the Kharar-Morinda road. Other areas affected by road blockages include the Kharar bus stand, Kurali light point, and various toll plazas across the district, including Barodi and Dappar.
The Bandh is also affecting business as most shops will remain closed, and private offices in the region advised employees to work from home to avoid potential clashes with protesters.
However, emergency services, including ambulances, fire brigades, and medical professionals, were exempted from the protests, with organizers assuring that essential services would remain operational throughout the day.
“We have made ample police deployment for Monday and will ensure the maintenance of law and order in Mohali,” HT quoted a senior police officer overseeing security arrangements in the district. Approximately 600 police personnel were deployed across Mohali to prevent any untoward incidents. Senior officers, including SP and DSP-rank officers, were stationed in the field to monitor the situation.
Shutdown shows solidarity with Dallewal’s hunger strike
This bandh is also a show of solidarity for Jagjit Singh Dallewal, a prominent farmer leader, who has been on a hunger strike since November 26 at the Khanauri border to demand a legal guarantee for MSP and other farmer rights.
Dallewal, 70, is currently in the 35th day of his fast-unto-death and has refused medical treatment, insisting that he will not break his fast until the government agrees to farmers’ demands.
Protests have intensified since Dallewal began his fast, with thousands of farmers continuing to hold ground at the Punjab-Haryana border, including the Shambhu and Khanauri border points. The apex court had recently granted the Punjab government until December 31 to persuade Dallewal to end his hunger strike and move to a hospital. The court also noted that the state could seek logistical support from the Centre if necessary to manage the situation.
Dallewal and his supporters are calling for a permanent legal guarantee on MSP for crops, debt waivers, pensions for farmers, withdrawal of police cases filed against protesters, and justice for those affected by the Lakhimpur Kheri violence in 2021, where farmers were killed during a violent incident involving a convoy of BJP leaders.
Why Punjab Bandh?
Farmers have been demanding the repeal of controversial agricultural laws passed by the Centre, which they argue would lead to the dismantling of the MSP system and harm their livelihoods. While the laws were eventually repealed, key demands such as MSP guarantees and debt relief remain unresolved.
The statewide shutdown comes after various forms of resistance, including long marches, sit-ins, and road blockages. In December, a group of 101 farmers had attempted to march to Delhi in protest, only to be stopped by security forces. Tensions have remained high, with both sides showing no signs of backing down.
