Farmers’ Punjab bandh call gets total response in Malwa

The Punjab bandh call by farmer unions evoked a total response in seven districts of the south Malwa region, namely Faridkot, Fazilka, Moga, Ferozepur, Muktsar, Mansa and Bathinda on Monday.

Protesters blocked rail tracks besides national and state highways at several places in the region in support of their demands. Main markets were closed in all seven districts during the bandh duration from 7am to 4pm.

Public and private buses also remained off the road.

In Faridkot district, farmers staged a protest at the main junctions of the city, including Bajakhana Chowk in Jaito, Battian Wala Chowk at Kotkapura and the main market of Faridkot.

The Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU-Sidhupur) blocked the Bathinda-Amritsar national highway in Faridkot.

The protesters also blocked rail tracks at Kotkapura and Faridkot stations.

Members of BKU (Sidhupur) took out a march in the city and urged bank authorities to observe a shutdown following which all banks were closed in the city.

In Bathinda, bus services were hit and farmers blocked Kanhaiya Chowk, which intersects national highways leading towards Amritsar and Chandigarh.

In Mansa, farmer unions blocked Sirsa-Ludhiana and Sirsa-Chandigarh national highways. The farmers also blocked rail tracks in Mansa city.

Jagdev Singh, the district president of BKU (Sidhupur), said: “Emergency vehicles have been allowed passage despite the blockade.”

In Moga, farmers blocked the Ludhiana-Ferozepur and Moga-Jalandhar national highways. The rail tracks on the routes were also blocked.

Life came to a halt in the border districts of Ferozepur and Fazilka, where protesters blocked road traffic.