SKM bandh call
AMRITSAR/HISAR/
MUZAFFARNAGAR, Feb 16:
Commuters in Punjab faced inconvenience on Friday as buses stayed off the roads in response to the Samyukta Kisan Morcha’s call for a ‘Bharat Bandh’ to press the Government to accept farmers’ demands, including a legal guarantee of MSP.
Markets and commercial establishments at several places in the state also remained shut while farmers held demonstrations at many places and blocked national highways in Pathankot, Tarn Taran, Bathinda and Jalandhar. They raised slogans against the Centre for not accepting their demands.
In Haryana’s Hisar, the Haryana Roadways services were paralysed as its employees supported the ‘Bharat Bandh’ and stayed away from work. Members of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Charuni) staged dharnas at several toll plazas in Haryana and forced authorities not to charge toll tax from commuters.
Protests were also held in parts of western Uttar Pradesh. Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait participated in a protest held at the Bagovali crossing on the Delhi-Dehradun National Highway in Muzaffarnagar.
“We are holding the protest for the demands, including implementation of the Swaminathan Commission report, loan waiver etc,” Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait told reporters.
On Being asked if he has any plans to go to Delhi, Tikait said, “A meeting is scheduled in Sisauli (Muzaffaranagar) on Saturday, where planning for the future course of action will be made.”
In Bijnor, BKU members disrupted work at some sugarcane weighing centres.
In Baghpat, a protest was held by BKU members. BKU district president Pratap Singh Gurjar said, “The symbolic protest in support of the bandh was called at Vandana Chowk. Farmers supported the call and they did not go to the sugarcane procurement centres.”
The bandh had almost no impact in Shahajahanpur, Budaun and Meerut.
Many farmer bodies, including BKU (Rajewal), BKU (Dakunda), BKU (Lakhowal), BKU (Qadian) and Kirti Kisan Union, participated in the bandh.
In Punjab, Punjab Roadways, Punbus and PRTC Contract Workers’ Union also supported the bandh call. They are protesting against the Centre’s proposed hit-and-run law. (PTI)
Follow our WhatsApp channel
