Roads, Toll Plazas Shut in Punjab, Haryana as Farmers Observe Grameen Bharat Bandh
Chandigarh: Toll plazas, roads, and several public services were closed in Punjab and Haryana as farmers observed Grameen Bharat Bandh till 4 pm on Friday, February 16.
Bus services, both government and private, also remained suspended in both these states due to the bandh call given by Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) jointly with Central Trade Unions, independent federations, associations, and other organisations of workers, women, youth, and students.
During the day, several constituents of SKM like BKU (Dakunda), BKU (Qadian), and Kirti Kisan Union observed bandh call by holding protest demonstrations in Patiala, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar, and other parts of the state.
In Haryana, another SKM constituent BKU (Chaduni) group was active throughout the day by organising programmes at toll plazas and arterial roads.
Of all the services, transportation and roads were the worst affected. Petrol dealers in Punjab closed filling stations to back the call for the shutdown.
Reports of the shutdown of shops and other establishments have been received from both urban as well as rural areas in these states.
It is noteworthy that SKM's Grameen Bandh call was different from farmers' protest demonstration at the Shambhu border, as it is spearheaded by SKM's splinter group SKM (non-political) headed by convener Jagjit Singh Dallewal and another forum Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee under Sarwan Singh Pandher.
An official statement by SKM said that its Bharat bandh call was a day programme but it would intensify agitation in days to come till the time it achieves a law on MSP, loan waiver, and other key issues.
The Grameen Bandh call, as per SKM, was in continuation of the demands for MSP at cost+50% with guaranteed procurement, reduction in input costs, debt waiver, repeal of Electricity (amendment) Bill 2022 and no to prepaid meters, dismiss and prosecute Ajay Mishra Teni Union MoS (Home), the main conspirator of Lakhimpur Kheri massacre of farmers among others.
SKM stated that it has scheduled its Punjab Unit Meet on February 18 followed by its national coordination committee meeting and general body meeting at New Delhi to suggest the future course of action.
As per their statement, their strategy will be determined by the response of the Government of India, which is already engaged in negotiations with SKM (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee and scheduled a fourth round of meeting the same day on February 18.
During the Bandh call, several SKM leaders asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to be sympathetic and considerate to farmers who are suffering farm losses, distress, debt, and unemployment, while farm labour suffers severe hunger, failure of treatment and deprivation.
According to them, it was "unfortunate" that the Prime Minister has allegedly shown full sympathy to the corporate companies, but has "unleashed repression" on farmers with lathi charge, pellet firing, tear gas sprays, use of drones, road blockade, house to house threats and continuing with a "war-like approach" towards the farmers involved in ongoing Delhi Challo call.
SKM condemned even more vehemently the injury caused to several farmers at the Shambhu barrier in the last three days.
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