Punjab: Commuters Face Severe Disruptions Due to Farmers' Shutdown (Ld)

Chandigarh, Dec 30 (NationPress) The nine-hour shutdown enforced by farmer unions advocating for a legal assurance of a minimum support price (MSP) for crops was nearly complete across Punjab on Monday, severely impacting commuters. Long lines of people gathered at railway stations and bus terminals as transportation services were halted.

Almost all shops and businesses were shuttered throughout the state. During the shutdown, farmers provided tea to stranded travelers braving the cold, foggy conditions.

According to a senior police official speaking to IANS, there were no major incidents reported in the state, although minor altercations were noted. Law enforcement advised motorists to avoid certain routes in order to reach their destinations safely.

The effects of the shutdown, organized by the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha and the Sanyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political), were evident in neighboring regions including Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir, as roads leading to these areas were blocked from Punjab.

Leader of the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, Sarwan Singh Pandher, expressed gratitude to the public for the shutdown's success, stating that farmers conducted sit-in protests at 175 locations across the state.

Despite the disruptions, emergency services continued to operate without issues. Support for the shutdown came from various groups including traders, transporters, employee unions, veterans, educators, and community organizations.

Approximately 200 trains, including premium services like Vande Bharat and Shatabdi Express, were affected, with operations resuming after the shutdown concluded at 4 p.m.

A cancer patient from Gujarat found himself stranded at the railway station in Ferozepur. His wife mentioned they needed to travel to Himachal Pradesh for medication, but the suspension of train services left them in a difficult situation.

Seventy-year-old farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who has been on a hunger strike for 35 days, declined medical assistance, urging the Central government to engage in dialogue with the protesting farmers. He expressed appreciation for the public's support during the shutdown.

Farmers are concerned that authorities may resort to force to remove Dallewal from the protest site and take him to a nearby hospital.

The bandh was called in solidarity with farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who has been on a hunger strike for over a month in pursuit of farmers' rights.

Women and elderly farmers took to the streets, compelling shopkeepers to close and persuading motorists not to proceed. Most national highways in various cities and towns were closed, significantly affecting the daily commute for residents and workers.

Reports of business closures emerged from Mohali, Patiala, Ludhiana, Moga, Ferozepur, Bathinda, Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, and other areas.

The shutdown was particularly effective in rural regions, where farmers, displaying their flags, blocked nearly all roads.

With private bus operators joining the strike, most private buses were off the roads in Punjab. Additionally, numerous schools and offices declared a holiday due to the shutdown.

In Chandigarh, however, the effects of the shutdown were not prominently felt.

Since February 13, farmers have been stationed at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders between Punjab and Haryana, advocating for their long-standing demands. Alongside the legal MSP for crops, they are also calling for loan waivers and reforms to enhance conditions in the agricultural sector.