Punjab bandh: Farmers block roads; trains cancelled amid complete shutdown

Punjab farmers on Monday morning blocked roads amid call for bandh in the state, hitting normal life in several areas. Several trains were cancelled and buses stopped plying due to the shutdown.

The bandh will continue till 4pm on Monday. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha called for a bandh last week, citing the Centre failure to accept the demands of protesting farmers.

Farmers staged a sit-in at Dhareri Jattan Toll Plaza, blocking vehicles on the Patiala-Chandigarh National Highway. Similar situation arose in other parts of the state with farmers gathering near the entry point in Amritsar's Golden Gate and blocking roads in Bathinda's Rampura Phul.

Ahead of the bandh, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said emergency services will be allowed to operate. He said exceptions will be made for those "travelling to the airport to catch a flight or anyone going to attend a job interview, or anyone needs to attend a wedding."

This comes as another leader of the farmers, Jagjit Singh Dallewal, continues his hunger strike that entered 35th day on Monday. He has refused to avail any medical treatment so far.

The farmers's demands include a legal guarantee of a minimum support price (MSP) for crops, debt waiver, pension and withdrawal of police cases. They have also sought justice for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence.