Farmers Movement Archive

12-hour Bharat Bandh: A look at situation in early hours of blockade

A 12-hour ‘Bharat Bandh’, called by farmers protesting against the three contentious central agricultural laws, began at 6am on Friday. The pan-India blockade has been called to mark the completion of four months of protests against the laws, which began on the borders of Delhi on November 26 last year.Here’s an update on the situation in the early hours of the bandh:1. Farmers in Punjab’s Amritsar have blocked railway tracks at Wallah. Punjab, and its neighbouring state of Haryana, are likely to witness a full, 12-hour bandh as majority of protesters are from the two northern states.Also Read | Farmers’ Bharat Bandh may impact normal life in Punjab, Haryana today2. Farmers’ unions have also blocked Bhai Ghaniya Chowk in Bhatinda, an intersection which connects the city with Amritsar, Chandigarh and Ferozepur, as well as Rajasthan.Ambala: Protesters block GT Road and railway track near Shahpur, in view of 12-hour 'Bharat Bandh' call by Samyukt Kisan Morcha against Centre's Farm Laws#Haryana pic.twitter.com/1D6k4qjPlN3. In Delhi, which witnessed clashes between police and protesters on January 26, the Delhi Police have said that they have made arrangements to ensure normal life is not disrupted due to the bandh.4. Farmers blocked the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh Ghazipur border in view of the 12-hour bandh call. “Traffic movement is closed on both carriageways of Ghazipur border,” news agency ANI quoted Delhi Police as saying, earlier in the day.Protesters block the Ghazipur border (Delhi-UP border) in view of 12-hour 'Bharat Bandh' call by Samyukt Kisan Morcha against Centre's Farm Laws pic.twitter.com/JnmmPXixJd5. In Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad, traders' bodies have decided to stay ‘neutral’ during the bandh. It was also decided during a meeting on Thursday that nobody would be forced to shut their shops or compelled to open business.6. Among southern states, the blockade is likely to be most effective in Andhra Pradesh, where the ruling YSR Congress has extended its support to the bandh call. Meanwhile, in the eastern state of Odisha, the government on Thursday announced the closure of all educational institutions on March 26, while all government employees have been asked to reach office before 9:30am.7. The opposition Congress has extended its support to the Bharat Bandh. The party, which has a government in Punjab, has been supporting the movement since the very beginning.

Hindustan Times

26-03-2021

India