CHANDIGARH/ROHTAK: The day-long call for a Bharat Bandh (nationwide closure), given by farmer associations and other organisations to press for withdrawal of the three recent agriculture laws, was observed in many parts of Haryana and went by peacefully on Tuesday.
Protesters allowed passage to vehicles carrying wedding parties, students appearing in exams and essential supplies. After 11 am, no vehicular movement was seen on the NH-44 and NH-152 in Ambala and the highways looked deserted for about 4 hours as farmers associated with Bhartiya Kisan Unon had blocked them.
Opposition parties and protesting organisations called the bandh “total and successful”, saying that people from all walks of life expressed solidarity with farmers. Roadways service was almost paralysed, but passengers did not express any remorse.
Haryana Congress president Selja, who visited Sindhu border on Monday night, expressed gratitude to all sections of society for supporting farmers. Leader of opposition Bhupinder Hooda also termed the bandh a success and a victory for farming community.
Protests were more pronounced in rural areas of Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra and Ambala districts, while traffic in cities was not affected. Protest marches were held in the three districts and markets were closed from 11am to 3pm. In Ambala, highway traffic headed for Chandigarh and Patiala-Amritsar on NH-152 and NH-44, respectively, was diverted through villages, as Punjab and Haryana police had barricaded state borders at Shambhu and Jharmarhi.
Farmers blocked 29 roads in Jind and 26 in Kaithal. Law and order was under control even as farmers blocked highways and other routes from 11am to 3pm. In Jind, people placed charpoys in the middle of the road along with hookahs. Villagers’ participation was evident in both districts as link roads were blocked.
Bharat Bandh elicited good response in Karnal and Panipat. Hundreds of farmers protested on NH 709 A, including at Jundla, Pyont, Jalmana and Assandh, and blocked traffic. Most shops and other establishments were closed in the two districts.
In Rohtak, Bharat Bandh received good response in rural areas connecting national and state highways, while shops and commercial establishments in the city were mostly open. Led by kisan union activists, villagers blocked Rohtak-Delhi bypass near Ladhot village, Hisar-Delhi road, Bhiwani road, Jhajjar road near Karontha village, Rohtak-Jind road near Lakhan Majra, Titoli village and Bhaini Maharajpur.
Farmer organisations blocked all toll plazas and several link roads in Hisar district and the mini secretariat in Hisar city. Congress’s Rohtak MLA B B Batra participated in a demonstration outside the Congress office at Ambedkar Chowk. Similarly, bar associations in Ambala, Kurukshetra, and Yamunanagar kept work suspended.