IT Correspondent
New Delhi, Sept 27:
The traffic movement was largely affected on NH 24 and NH 9, at Delhi-Gurgaon border (Rajokri) border and other parts on Northern belt, even as a 10-hour Bharat Bandh called by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) to mark the first anniversary of the three controversial farm laws getting Presidential assent began on Monday morning.
Massive traffic snarl were seen at Gurugram-Delhi border as vehicles entering the national capital were checked by Delhi Police and paramilitary jawans, in the wake of the bandh which will be on till 4 pm on Monday.
In both Punjab and Haryana, national highways, state highways, link road and railway tracks have been severally blocked, bringing road and rail traffic to a halt. In Punjab farmers have started protesting at over 350 places. Punjab’s Additional Director General of Police(AGDP) has issued instructions of the police forces of the state to ensure law and order at protest places. A close watch is being kept at all the dharna sites. In Haryana too, highways are blocked 25 places alone in the Jind district.
A call for the bandh has been given by the SKM to mark the first anniversary of the three controversial farm laws getting Presidential assent. The SKM has said that all government and private offices, educational and other institutions, shops, industries and commercial establishments will be closed across the nation during the strike. No public events and functions will be allowed, it said. However, all emergency establishments and essential services, including hospitals, medical stores, relief and rescue work and people attending to personal emergencies, will be exempted from the strike.
The strike has garnered support from various political parties. While Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi has extended support to the bandh, Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Yadav has announced he will participate in the nationwide strike. The Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu governments, too, have declared complete support to the Bandh. Congress has also said it will be joining the protests on Monday.
Maharashtra
In Maharashtra ruling Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress have supported the bandh saying that the “People should willingly take part in the bandh”. In many districts including Dhule, Palghar and Pune, the activists of Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) carrying union flags staged protest demonstrations and attempted to block the traffic. However they were whisked away by the police.
Around 100 organisations, including national political parties, trade unions, farmers’ associations, youth, teachers, labourers and others, are joining the bandh. All India Kisan Sabha president Dr Ashok Dhawale said that the decision to join the bandh was taken at a state-level meeting of all the groups chaired by AITUC National Working Committee Member Dr Bhalchandra Kango, which took place in Mumbai on Monday. More than 200 leaders of nearly 100 organisations attended the meeting.
