Farmers Movement Archive

10-hour bandh passes off peacefully in Haryana, rail tracks, roads blocked

The Bharat Bandh called by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an alliance of farmer unions, on Monday to mark the first anniversary of the enactment of three central agri-marketing laws, hampered the movement of daily commuters and commercial vehicles in Haryana as most highways and several rail tracks remained blocked from 6am to 4pm. The northern railways cancelled 19 trains in Ambala railway division. The 10-hour Bandh passed off peacefully in Haryana, evoking good response in the heartland districts of Rohtak, Hisar, Bhiwani and Jind. Farmers blocked the Delhi-Ambala-Chandigarh highway, Chandigarh-Kaithal-Jind-Hisar highway, Panipat-Rohtak highway, Kurukshetra-Kaithal highway, Kurukshetra-Yamunangar highway, Karnal-Jind highway and Karnal-Yamunanagar highway. The protesters sat on rail tracks in Jhajjar, Bahadurgarh, Fatehgarh in Dadri and at Ramayana toll plaza in Hisar. Bus stands of Hisar, Rohtak, Jind and Sonepat wore a deserted look, and many buses were seen parked at the bus terminus itself. Commuters used village link roads to reach their destinations. Protesters, however, allowed the movement of vehicles on emergency duty such as ambulances. Traders in most parts of the state kept their business establishments closed in solidarity. Security was beefed up at Singhu and Tikri borders where farmers have been camping for almost a year. Entry and exit gates of metro stations from Tikri to Bahadurgarh were closed, inconveniencing commuters headed for Delhi. SKM leader Inderjit Singh said, “Shopkeepers and small factory owners also shut their establishments in support of farmers till 4pm. We occupied highways and rail tracks to raise our voice though medical staff and ambulances were allowed passage.” Haryana Bharatiya Kisan Union (Charuni) spokesperson Rakesh Bains said that most market associations have assured the farmers of their support. “A team of farmers kept visiting markets and requested them to shut shop during the bandh duration,” Bains said. Asked about people stuck in traffic jams, he said: “Farmers had announced the blockade in advance and commuters should have avoided travelling on Monday. But farmers will make arrangements of food and water for them.” A Haryana police spokesperson said the Bandh call given by farmers’ organisations passed off peacefully and no violent incident was reported in the state.The spokesperson said the impact of the Bandh was largely seen in the form of road and rail blockades and hampered the intercity road and rail traffic movement. However, it did not have much impact on the activities within towns and cities.The bandh call did not have any impact in the districts of Gurugram, Faridabad, Narnaul, Rewari and Nuh in the state.

Hindustan Times

28-09-2021

Chandigarh