Farmers Movement Archive

In solidarity with farmers, many roads in dist blocked

Ludhiana: Farmers blocked many roads, including highways, in the district on Friday in the wake of the Bharat Bandh call given by Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), seeking repeal of agri laws passed by the Union government.In Ludhiana, a protest was held near a mall on Ferozepur Road. The protesters comprised women, elderly, children and youth, who blocked the busy Ferozepur Road from morning till evening. A protest was also held at Ladowal on Ludhiana-Jalandhar highway, leading to traffic chaos.Gurpreet Singh of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta-Ugrahan) said they had prepared langar for 1,000 persons, but around 1,500 turned up. He added that at least 400-500 women participated in the protest.In the neighbouring Khanna, protests were held on Ludhiana-Delhi National Highway and in Samrala town, five places, including Neelon, Ghulal toll plaza, Baliyon on Samrala bypass, Dyalpura bypass and Samrala railway station, saw demonstrations. Protesters stopped a passenger train at Samrala railway station at 10am and didn’t let it move till evening. In Samrala, BKU’s Rajewal, Qadian and Sidhupur units were more active. Avtar Singh Gehlewal, sarpanch of Gehlewal village who was sitting in protest with the farmers at Neelon, said revolutionary movements, including green revolution and freedom struggle, started from Punjab and were successful. Asserting that they would win this movement too, he said, “Protesters didn’t stop emergency services, including ambulances and those going to buy medicines, on the Ludhiana-Chandigarh road.” There were reports of protests from Machhiwara, Doraha, Bija, Malaud and Payal areas as well. In Raikot, a protest was held at Barnala Chowk, while Jagraon witnessed demonstrations at Ludhiana-Jagraon road, Chowkiman toll plaza and Rakba village, near Mullanpur. Inderjit Singh, Jagraon block president of BKU (Dakonda), said the response to the bandh call was good and traders also supported them as shops remained closed in Jagraon. “We will continue to protest even beyond 2024,” he said. Kanwaljit Khanna, general secretary of Inquilabi Kendra, Punjab, and a supporter of farmers’ agitation, said it has been decided that on March 29, copies of the “black laws” would be burnt and on April 5, FCI offices will be gheraoed. He added that they would continue to protest till the government accepted their demands and repealed the three farm laws.

The Times of India

2021-03-27

Ludhiana