Farmers’ Bharat Bandh name on Friday impacted regular life each in rural and concrete elements of Punjab. Protests, based on farmers, had been organised at 365 locations within the state, out of which 321 had been street blockades that had been staged on nationwide, state highways and even on hyperlink roads. The Chamber of Industrial and Commercial Undertakings pegged the loss because of the bandh in Punjab at Rs 500 crore. There was no violent incident reported throughout the length of the bandh.
While 32 farmer unions from Punjab staged dharnas at 200 locations, the Kisan Mazdoor Sangrash Committee (KMSC) blocked street and rail visitors at 165 locations in 12 districts. BKU (Ugrahan), in the meantime, created rail and street blockades at 50 locations in 16 districts of Punjab. The impact of dharna was equal in rural in addition to city areas. The holy metropolis of Amritsar noticed an entire bandh and even the SGPC workplace stayed shut in help of the protest name.
Though in city areas like Ludhiana district few shopkeepers had opened their outlets within the morning, however at about midday, street exhibits had been organised by individuals supporting farmers’ protest in numerous markets like Ghumar Mandi, Mall street, Pakhowal street, Chaura Bazar following which most of outlets had been closed.
People supporting Bharat Bandh had been seen roaming in SUVs, open jeeps, automobiles with open roofs whereas making bulletins urging individuals to shut their outlets to help farmers in Punjab.
Youngsters additionally did motorbike marches from many markets of Ludhiana elevating slogans ‘Kisan Mazdoor Ekta Zindabaad’. All autos carried flags of farmer unions as nicely.
Most of the kids shifting in Ludhiana markets had been carrying fancy shades, black and white kurta pajamas.
“Only a few shopkeepers in Ghumar Mandi, Chaura Bazar, Mall Road were reluctant to close their shops, but following the protest march by groups supporting farmers, most of them closed the shops. There was a difference of opinion due to which a few had come and even had opened their shops at 10 am, only to close them by noon,” stated Sonu Nilibar, Director of Nilibar retailer and workplace bearer of Ludhiana material service provider affiliation. He, nevertheless, acknowledged that he had voluntarily closed his retailer on Mall Road. A couple of of the jewellers saved on working by holding shutters down and so they closed work after 2 pm.
While farmers insisted that participation the bandh name was voluntary, Pankaj Sharma, basic secretary of the Chamber of Industrial and Commercial Undertakings, stated, “The bandh affected business activities as the protesters did not allow workers and staff to reach factories. Protesters forcibly closed the commercial establishments. Although industry supports the cause of protest and requests the govt to consider their legitimate demands, but industry condemns such bandhs as it affects the lives of common man. Such state sponsored bandhs are like putting spanners in the wheels of economy. There was a loss of business worth Rs 500 crores in Punjab due to a single- day bandh.”
Jagseer Singh Jhumba, a employee of BKU (Ugrahan), stated, “We sat at various protest sites in the morning at 6 am itself but we went for protest marches in cities at around 11 am where we appealed people to cooperate with us and support Bharat Bandh call. Only a few had opened and the rest were already closed.”
Interestingly, plenty of shopkeepers in Ludhiana and Bathinda had already determined to close their outlets and so they had even flashed messages to clients in social media teams that they are going to be open after 5 pm.
Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan, basic secretary of BKU (Ugrahan) was current on the protest web site in Chandarpura village in Moga district. He stated,’ ‘Our union jammed roads at 46 locations and rail roko at 4 locations.”
Jagmohan Singh Patiala, basic secretary of BKU (Dakaunda) stated,
“32 farmer unions had organised protest dharas at more than 200 places and the best part of this Bharat Bandh call was that no violence happened at any place. People remained peaceful. We got support of rural as well as urban people. Support was from shopkeepers, traders, transporters, ahrtiyas as well. We thank each and every person who made this bandh call successful.”
Sarwan Singh Pandher, basic secretary of Kisan Mazdoor Sangrash Committee (KMSC), stated, ‘’Our committee did protest dharnas at 165 completely different locations in 12 districts of Punjab and it was peaceable in all places. We didn’t pressure anybody to shut their outlets however they did on their very own.”
Lachman Singh Sewewala, basic secretary of Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union (PKMU), added, “Khet mazdoor was also in this bandh call and a separate protest dharna was organised at PKMU on NH-9 near Lambi village on Malaut-Dabwali road.”
Meanwhile, no political occasion organised a separate dharna anyplace within the state moderately their employees had been seen sitting in numerous protest dharnas in Punjab. Congress, SAD, AAP and even BSP employees sat at completely different protest dharnas.
Friday was the a hundred and twentieth day of the Delhi morcha whereas it was 177th day of protest at greater than 100 locations in Punjab.
