JALANDHAR: A complete bandh was observed in Malwa and Doaba regions of Punjab on Tuesday, with all major cities and towns remaining closed till 3pm in support of farmers protesting against the agri laws. There were very few vehicles even on national highways. Dalit sants and groups came out in support of protests by farmers. Jalandharbased Dera Sachkhand Ballan, biggest dera of the Ravidassia community, sent langar for farmers staging sit-ins.
Buses, including PRTC, also remained off the roads. While private transporters had already extended their support and announced not to ply their buses on the day of Bharat Bandh, there was no such information by the PRTC. PRTC general manager operations Surinder Singh said they decided to suspend the operations for the whole day as a precautionary measure as buses could not ply due to chakka jam.
National highways were blocked at a number of places as farmers sat on Bathinda-Chandigarh, Bathinda-Amritsar stretch, at PAP Chowk in Jalandhar and Sugar Mill Chowk in Phagwara. Farmers sat on the railway tracks at Maur town in Bathinda but no train was affected. In Nawanshahr, leaders of Beopar Mandal also participated in the dharna staged by farmers’ unions at Langroya bypass. Participation of city residents was seen in Jalandhar and Phagwara too.
A number of sants of a faction of Sri Guru Ravidass Sadhu Sampardai Society went to Singhu border to protest on Monday. Their chairman Sant Mohinderpal addressed the gathering on Tuesday. “Dera Ballan is supporting farmers and we sent langar to different places in and around Jalandhar. Saving farmers is a common cause and Dalits and farmers have common interests,” said dera representative and Sri Guru Ravidass Janam Asthaan Chairtable Trust general secretary advocate Satpal Virdee. Sri Guru Ravidass gurdwara, Link Colony, Ladhowali road also sent snacks and tea for protesting farmers blocking the road at PAP Chowk.
In the Malwa region, business came to standstill as traders downed shutters. Working in small industrial units was suspended. Attendance was negligible in some government offices while only a few banks functioned by downing the front shutters. Road blockade was imposed till 3pm and farmers held protests on railway tracks at some places.
In Patiala, farmers blocked Zirakpur–Bathinda and Patiala–Hisar highways besides others roads at Passiana, Patran, Samana, Nabha Borangate chowk and several other places from 11am to 3pm. A Patiala-Sanaur-Patiala tractor march was also carried out by Guru Teg Bahadur tractor market association in support to the farmers.
BKU general secretary, Patiala, Jaswant Singh said, “Farmers blocked the road at several places, including the toll plaza. The protest at Dharedi Jatta toll plaza also witnessed a huge gathering of farmers.”
BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) leader Jagtar Singh said, “We blocked roads at several places in protest against the agriculture laws passed by the Union government.” In Patiala city, markets and shops remained closed for the day. The local traders body had held meetings on Monday and decided to support the bandh call. Some protesters also organised a ‘path’ at Anardana Chowk for farmers protesting against the three agriculture bills.