Farmers Movement Archive

Life stops for 10 hours in Haryana, peace prevails

CHANDIGARH: The Haryana Police as well as government on Monday heaved a sigh of relief as the 10-hour long bandh call given by Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) passed peacefully. The SKM leaders declared bandh as successful in the state, saying it had put normal life, road and rail transport on standstill in 17 districts of the state. A senior government official claimed that there was no impact of bandh in seven districts while in the rest of 17, it had a partial impact only. Karnal and Ambala districts, which are represented by chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar and home minister Anil Vij, respectively, were among the districts to observe complete bandh in terms of market closures and road and rail movements. A deserted street in Karnal market place on MondayIn Karnal, farmers carried out a protest march appealing to shopkeepers and traders to keep their shutters down in support of farm agitation. Protesters also blocked the opening ceremony of an office of a BJP candidate contesting the byelection for the post of councillor of Ward 7. Hundreds of farmers blocked roads at several points in Karnal, including NH 709 A (Karnal-Jind) at Assandh, Karnal-Kaithal road in Nissing, Assandh-Safidon road and Assandh-Panipat road for 10 hours. Karnal district president of BKU (Charuni) Jagdeep Singh Aulakh said, “Bharat Bandh call got a good response. I thank all people who supported the farming community.” According to the statement issued by the Haryana government, Gurgaon, Faridabad, Nuh, Narnaul and Rewari remained open. However, there was bandh in pockets of Nuh and Faridabad districts. Efforts to reach out to additional chief secretary, home, Rajiv Arora, DGP Prashnanta Kumar Agrawal and ADGP, law and order, Navdeep Singh Virk for details of blockades of state and national highways remained futile as they did not answer the phone calls. However, railway authorities said trains were cancelled and temporarily terminated in Haryana, especially on Chandigarh-New Delhi route which has a set of Shatabdi Express trains running in morning and afternoon. According to divisional railway office of Ambala, eight trains were cancelled and five terminated on their way to destinations due to blockade of railway tracks by farmers. Reports from across the state suggested that traders and shopkeepers had volunteered to keep the shops closed and only health services — hospitals and medical shops — remained open. In Jind, the most impact of bandh was seen in Uchana Kalan, represented by deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala, where shops were closed till 4pm. Farmers pitched tent in the middle of Jind-Patiala-Delhi national highway at Uchana Kalan till 4pm. They also blocked roads at 34 points in Jind and 27 points in Kaithal. Farmers claimed that they also ensured free passage to emergency vehicles on highways. To ensure that train passengers are not put to too much trouble in case a train is stopped — like they halted the Firojpur-bound train, Chhindwara-Firojour express at 6.30am – farmers said they provided them meals. Many passengers told TOI that although they were afraid of getting stuck on the way, they appreciated the service provided to them by farmers. “Whenever we pass these villages in future, we will surely remember this day fondly,” said commuters Shivam, Poonam and Rajkumar. Ghaso Kalan village former sarpanch Ramdhan Singh said, “When Gandhi Express had halted here in 1971, carrying injured soldiers who were fighting against Pakistan, they were offered the same services of foods and medical aid by farmers. When there was waterlogging in 1995, due to flood, we had set up langar for commuters for 15 days. We have a history of serving people. We would continue our agitation against three farm laws till the end. One day Modi government will have to step down.” In Hisar, although some shops were found open in markets, there was silence on the highways and railway tracks. According to Shashi Kiran, chief public relations officer of north western railway, rail traffic on Rewari-Bhiwani, Bhiwani-Rohtak, Bhiwani-Hisar and Hanumangarh-Sadulpur-Sriganganagar rail sections was affected due to the farmers agitation. Apart from the four toll plazas of Hisar, the farmers also blocked the Ramayana railway line and Rajgarh railway line in Hisar, due to which traffic was affected. Farmers put up tents at Surewala Chowk, where the ragni competition went on throughout the day. Due to this jam, Hisar-Chandigarh, Chandigarh-Sirsa, Hisar-Tohana highways remained closed. Similarly, farmers blocked the Balsamand-Bhadra road in Balsamand village, Bhiwani Rohilla village, Sorkhi village on Hisar-Delhi highway, Shyamsukh village on Agroha-Barwala road, Ludas Shahpur road and Dhanana village in Narnaund till 4pm. The district administration had put on duty 24 duty magistrates, 24 police officers along with 10 reserve police in view of the proposed Bharat Bandh. SKM district president Shamsher Singh Numberdar said all sections of the people gave full support to the bandh. Press secretary Sube Singh Boora said bandh was observed in 360 villages of the district. Under the leadership of the district head, an appeal was made to visit the markets of Hisar to keep them completely closed. All shopkeepers gave full cooperation, he said. “Trains were not allowed to run. The railway department tried... but the train was not allowed to run beyond Adampur, Devan Muklan and Ramayana and Barwala. In today’s bandh, the bar association, trade boards, women’s committees and employees’ organisations. gave full cooperation,” he said. Janwadi Mahila Samiti took out a procession in the city and staged a dharna at Parijat Chowk. Bajrang Garg, president of Haryana Pradesh Vyapar Mandal, said grain markets across the state remained closed in support of farmers. President of Nyaya Paksha and member of SKM national executive Randeep Lohchab said the bandh in Hisar was peaceful. Trade unions and employees’ organisations gathered at Parijat Chowk and demonstrated at Bishnoi market, Arya Bazaar, Sabzi Mandi Chowk, Bhagat Singh Chowk, Gandhi Chowk, Talaki Gate to Nagori Gate. Sarva Karmachari Sangh celebrated anti-privatisation day on September 27 and supported the farmers’ movement, by protesting against the policies of the government. In Fatehabad district, farmers tore government posters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the national highway. They also blocked the Dabwali national highway in many villages, including Chautala village. In Rohtak, bandh remained peaceful with national highways, state highways, link roads remaining closed in at least 25 spots. But shops in the main market remained partially open but saw few customers. Inderjit Singh of Kisan Morcha said bandh remained successful and its success was a befitting reply to the Modi regime who tried to underplay the farmers movement. Farm unions blocked NH-44 at Panipat toll plaza, Panipat-Rohtak highway near Shahpur and Mudlana villages but there was not much impact on the markets. In Ambala, railway tracks were blocked by farmers including Ambala-Saharanpur under a flyover near Phoosgarh village and Delhi-Chandigarh at Shahabad railway station. Four trains had to stop mid-way near Phoosgarh village in Yamunanagar and at Kurukshetra railway station. Passengers who were stuck at the Kurukshetra railway station were served langar by the local gurdwaras. BKU Charuni spokesman Rakesh Kumar Bains said, “The government should accept the demands of farmers.” In Ambala, the major markets remained closed, and even those in rural areas. The farmers blocked roads at Devi Nagar toll plaza on Shambhu border on NH-44, Saini Majra toll plaza on NH-152, Saha Chowk on NH-44, Hema Majra road in Mullana, Mohra, Naraingarh, Panjokhra Sahib, Football Chowk in Ambala Cantt. In Kurukshetra, they blocked NH-44 at Shahabad, NH-152 at Thana toll plaza in Pehowa, at Teokar village on Patiala road in Pehowa, at Dhurala, Mirzapur, and Birla Mandir in Thanesar city. In Yamunanagar, the farmers blocked NH-344 at Sudhail village turn, Triveni Chowk in Radaur, Dosarka Chowk in Sadhaura, Milk Majra toll plaza, Triveni Chowk in Chhachhrauli and at Kheri Lakha Singh village. Yamunanagar superintendent of police Kamaldeep Goyal said, “The blockade by farmers were reported from 17 places and about 500 policemen have been deputed at all points. The farmers are not stopping the vehicles deputed in emergency services like ambulance or Army.” Yamunanagar deputy commissioner Parth Gupta said, “About 8 to 10 duty magistrates were deputed for the day in all the sub-divisions of the district. The bandh has affected both personal and government vehicles’ movement but no emergency vehicles were stopped, as such a consensus was reached with the farm leaders.” Politicising bandhHaryana agriculture and farmers’ welfare minister Jai Prakash Dalal termed the bandh as opposition-sponsored call to cause grave inconvenience to public. “This bandh has caused a lot of inconvenience to general public. The opposition parties, especially the Congress, should apologise to entire state for this,” said Dalal, the first BJP minister to “react” over the bandh call by SKM. Meanwhile, opposition parties announced their support to the bandh call — Indian National Lok Dal had announced it from stage on Saturday during Jind rally, while Congress legislative Party leader Bhupinder Hooda and HPCC president Selja had asked the workers to support the call. Rajya Sabha MP Deepender Hooda has urged the Union government to fix meeting with farmer leaders to resume talks. Govt blames oppnHaryana agriculture and farmers’ welfare minister Jai Prakash Dalal termed the bandh as opposition-sponsored call to cause grave inconvenience to public. “This bandh has caused a lot of inconvenience to general public. The opposition parties, especially the Congress, should apologise to entire state for this,” said Dalal, the first BJP minister to “react” over the bandh call by SKM. (With inputs from Jind, Hisar, Rohtak, Karnal, Ambala, Kurukshetra)

The Times of India

2021-09-28

Chandigarh