Punjab bandh: Farmers block roads at many places, traffic hit

Farmers blocked roads at many places across the state on Monday (December 30, 2024) as part of their Punjab bandh call, hamstringing the commuter traffic.A call for a shutdown was given last week by Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha over the Centre not accepting the demands of protesting farmers.The bandh will be observed from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Farmers observed a sit-in at Dhareri Jattan Toll Plaza which affected vehicular movement on the Patiala-Chandigarh National Highway.At Amritsar’s Golden Gate, farmers started to assemble near the city’s entry point while in Bathinda’s Rampura Phul, they blocked roads.Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher on Sunday (December 29, 2024) said though there will be a complete bandh, emergency services will be allowed to operate.”The bandh will be observed from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. However, emergency services will remain operational. Anyone travelling to the airport to catch a flight or anyone going to attend a job interview, or anyone needs to attend a wedding… all these things have been kept out of our bandh call,” he said.Meanwhile, 70-year-old farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal’s hunger strike entered its 35th day on Monday (December 30, 2024). He has so far refused medical treatment.Hundreds of farmers have been protesting at the Punjab-Haryana border demanding a legal guarantee of a minimum support price (MSP) for crops.Mr. Dallewal had earlier said he would not break his fast until the government agreed to the farmers’ demands.