New Delhi [India], September 27 : To mark a year of the Centre’s three farm laws, famers early on Monday began a “Bharat Bhandh”, following a nationwide call by farmer unions demanding scrapping of the legislations. Hundreds of farmers gathered at various places across the country blocking national highways, including those connecting Delhi to Punjab and Haryana, squatting on railway tracks and roads leading to traffic diversions and disruptions in vehicular movement. The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of the farmer unions, had called for a “Bharat Bandh” till 4 pm today. Heavy police presence was seen, especially in Haryana and Punjab, to maintain law and order. With farmers blocking national highways and major link roads in both Punjab and Haryana, police have diverted the traffic at several places. Delhi Traffic Police has said the vehicular movement has been closed from Uttar Pradesh towards Ghazipur. Gurugram saw major traffic congestion due to the heavy deployment of police and paramilitary forces. Delhi-Amritsar National Highway has been blocked at Shahabad in Haryana’s Kurukshetra. The National Highway 44 in Haryana have also been blocked. On the Tikri boder, farmers sat on the railway tracks at Bahadurgarh railway station. Rail operations in Delhi, Ambala and Firozepur divisions were impacted with people sitting on tracks. More than 20 railway tracks in Delhi were blocked by protesting farmers. Over 20 trains in the Ambala and Firozepur division have been affected, according to Northern Railway.
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#WATCH | Tamil Nadu: Protesters agitating against the three farm laws break police barricade in Anna Salai area of Chennai, in support of Bharat Bandh called by farmer organisations today; protesters detained by police pic.twitter.com/iuhSkOeGFV
Farmers have also blocked the Shambhu border on the Punjab-Haryana border. “In view of the Bharat bandh call by protesting farmers, we have blocked the Shambhu border till 4 pm,” a protesting farmer said. The police have been deployed at all the locations where farmers are protesting, forces have been deployed since 5 am, Amritsar Police informed. “At all locations where farmers are protesting, forces have been deployed since 5 am. Farmers’ protests are peaceful, so forces have also been told to not behave untowardly with them and bring to my notice if something happens,” Police Inspector Sanjeev Kumar said.
Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait has urged people to come out of their houses after lunchtime and appealed to the shopkeepers to keep their shops closed for now and open only after 4 pm. The traffic movement has been closed from Uttar Pradesh towards Ghazipur due to farmers’ protests at the border.
Speaking to ANI, Tikait said, “Bharat bandh has been organised to send our message to the government. Ambulances, doctors or those going for an emergency can pass through. We have not sealed down anything. We appeal to the shopkeepers to keep their shops closed for now and open only after 4 pm. No farmer is coming here from outside.” The BKU leader also informed that they have not planned any marches. “The government will have to accept our demand, they have to in the coming 10 months,” he added. Various opposition leaders have lent their support to the farmers’ “Bharat Bandh”. RJD leader Mukesh Raushan and other members and workers of the party protested in Bihar’s Hajipur, in support of Bharat Bandh.
Traffic congestion was seen on Hajipur-Muzaffarpur road and the movement on Mahatma Gandhi Setu in Patna was affected too. All government and private offices, educational and other institutions, shops, industries and commercial establishments as well as public events and functions will be closed throughout the country. However, exemptions to the bandh include all emergency establishments and essential services, including hospitals, medical stores, relief and rescue work and people attending to personal emergencies.
Bharat Bandh: Protests in several states against agri laws
To mark the first anniversary of the enactment of the three farm laws, Samyukt Kisan Morcha, a coalition of farmers’ unions, has called for a nationwide Bharat Bandh on Monday. The governments of Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Punjab, Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh have extended their support to the bandh, and the effect of protest was seen in these states. In Andhra Pradesh, Left parties protested in front of the Vijayawada bus station to observe the Bharat Bandh. “It is a national protest against policies of the Central government. Farmers are protesting for the last 10 months against the farm laws,” state secretary of CPI (M) P Madhu said. In Karnataka, various organizations were seen protesting outside the Kalaburagi Central bus station in support of the bandh, “Many organizations are supporting our farmers and participating in the nationwide call for bandh,” said protester K Neela.
The roads in Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram wore a deserted look and shops are closed in as the trade unions affiliated to LDF and UDF have supported the call for Bharat Bandh.
Meanwhile, protesters agitating against the three farm laws broke police barricades in the Anna Salai area of Tamil Nadu’s Chenna, following which many agitators were detained by the police. “Modi government has pass three anti-farmers legislatures. Farmers are continuously fighting against it for more than 11 months. If Modi is reluctantly denying the withdrawing of the legislation, the struggle will intensify further,” CPI (M) leader K Balakrishnan said, who was also detained in Chennai.
The Bharat Bandh garnered support from more than 500 farmer organizations, 15 trade unions, political parties, six state governments and varied sections of society. Farmers have been protesting at different sites since November 26 last year against the three enacted farm laws: Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. Farmer leaders and the Centre have held several rounds of talks but the impasse remains.
Bharat Bandh: Delhi-Ghazipur border shut for traffic; jams on Gurugram border, DND flyway
Traffic movement in Delhi and neighbouring states were hit on Monday as farmers blocked roads and national highways as part of a Bharat Bandh today. Traffic movement at the Ghazipur border was affected and the Delhi Traffic Police closed vehicular movement on the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh Ghazipur border for both carriageways. Massive traffic snarl was seen at Gurugram-Delhi border as vehicles entering the national capital were being checked by Delhi Police and paramilitary jawans. The Delhi Noida Direct (DND) flyway also witnessed massive traffic congestion. Delhi Traffic Police issued a traffic alert on Twitter urging people to avoid Delhi to Uttar Pradesh Ghazipur border stretch.
Massive traffic snarl seen at Gurugram-Delhi border as vehicles entering the national capital are being checked by Delhi Police and paramilitary jawans, in wake of Bharat Bandh called by farmer organisations today. pic.twitter.com/dclgkqp3X1
“Gazipur border is closed for traffic from both sides due to farmers’ protests via NH 9 and NH 24. Commuters wishing to commute to and from UP may use DND, Vikas Marg, Signature bridge, Wazirabad road etc. The traffic of NH 24 and NH 9 are diverted on Road no 56 to take Maharajpur border, Apsara and Bhopura borders for UP,” the Delhi Traffic Police tweeted. Traffic movement was also closed on the Dhansa Border for both carriageways. The Delhi Police has also closed all the routes leading to the Red Fort in the national capital and barricades were placed on the road as a precautionary measure. Samyukt Kisan Morcha, a coalition of farmers’ unions, has called for a nationwide Bharat Bandh today to mark the first anniversary of the enactment of the three farm laws. The bandh has garnered support from more than 500 farmer organizations, 15 trade unions, political parties, six state governments and varied sections of society. State governments of Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Punjab, Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh have extended their support to the Bharat Bandh protest. Farmers have been protesting at different sites since November 26 last year against the three enacted farm laws: Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. Farmer leaders and the Centre have held several rounds of talks but the impasse remains.
