On Monday (September 27), Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) called for a 10-hour long ‘Bharat bandh’ (nationwide shutdown) in a bid to pressurise the Indian government to withdraw the newly enacted farm laws. The apparent ‘shutdown’ began at 6 am in the morning and will remain in force until 4 pm.
The farmer protestors began their demonstrations in September last year but failed to make any impact in the past 300 days. They had blocked highways, created inconvenience for daily commuters, and engaged in violence and vandalism. In a bid to draw the attention of the Union government, they have decided to enforce a nationwide shutdown. “All the central and state government offices, markets, shops, factories, schools, colleges and other educational institutions will not be allowed to function,” SKM had threatened.
The farmer union has directed against conducting public functions. It has also barred both public and private transport. In visuals shared by ANI, farmer protestors were seen sitting on railway tracks at Devidaspura village in Amritsar in Punjab to disrupt commute by passengers through trains.
Punjab: Protesters agitating against the three farm laws sit on railway tracks at Devidaspura village in Amritsar, in support of Bharat Bandh called by farmer organisations today. pic.twitter.com/u8jHzKeW82
— ANI (@ANI) September 27, 2021
Under the patronage of farmer leader Rakesh Tikait, the demonstrators blocked the incoming traffic from Uttar Pradesh towards Ghazipur. While dictating his terms and conditions on the public, Tikait announced, “Ambulances, doctors or those going for an emergency can pass through. We’ve not sealed down anything, we just want to send a message. We appeal to the shopkeepers to keep their shops closed for now and open only after 4pm. No farmer is coming here from outside.”
Ambulances, doctors or those going for an emergency can pass through. We’ve not sealed down anything, we just want to send a message. We appeal to the shopkeepers to keep their shops closed for now and open only after 4pm. No farmer is coming here from outside: Rakesh Tikait, BKU pic.twitter.com/HaBDbFFKLT
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) September 27, 2021
As commuters took alternate routes and because of increased checking to maintain law and order situation, traffic at Delhi-Gurugram border moved at snail’s pace.
The bandh also got backing and support of Congress. Senior Congress leader and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi extended his support to the bandh.
Rahul Gandhi claimed that there is a Bandh call placed today because the government is not listening to the so-called farmers protesting against the three farm laws.किसानों का अहिंसक सत्याग्रह आज भी अखंड है
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) September 27, 2021
लेकिन शोषण-कार सरकार को ये नहीं पसंद है
इसलिए #आज_भारत_बंद_है #IStandWithFarmers
His sister and Uttar Pradesh Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra too tweeted in support of farmers.खेत किसान का
— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) September 27, 2021
मेहनत किसान की
फसल किसान की
लेकिन, भाजपा सरकार इन पर अपने खरबपति मित्रों का कब्जा जमाने को आतुर है।
पूरा हिंदुस्तान किसानों के साथ है।@narendramodi काले क़ानून वापस लो।#IStandWithFarmers
It must be noted here that the Congress had recently formed an ‘agitation committee’ to carry nationwide protests on various topics such as to formalise protests. The committee is headed by Digvijaya Singh and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is also one of the members of the same.
Diktat of farmer protestors fail to make an impact
Netizens took to Twitter to share how the common man has rejected the Bharat Bandh proclaimed by the SKM. I am in Delhi and I am travelling in metro right now, I have not seen anywhere that today India is closed, because it is not so, today our India is completely open,” wrote one Prince Raj.
I am in Delhi and I am traveling in metro right now, I have not seen anywhere that today India is closed, because it is not so, today our India is completely open. #भारत_खुला_है pic.twitter.com/9QNc5rAkyW
— prince raj (@PrinceK49558282) September 27, 2021
Another user informed that the people of Patna has not extended their support to Bharat Bandh. “My city if fully open,” he emphasised.
My city is fully open.
— ऋषि राजपूत 🇮🇳 (@srishirajIND) September 27, 2021
Patna do not support Bharat bandh.#भारत_खुला_है pic.twitter.com/VoMpyGC7mp
Another Twitter user said that the people of Kolkata too are going about their business as usual.
#भारत_खुला_है
— WITTY_CUPID (@CupidWitty) September 27, 2021
Kolkata is up & working… pic.twitter.com/JFe9FiXtZe
‘Bharat Bandh’ by ‘farmer protestors’ in Punjab leads to Rs 500 crore loss
Earlier in March this year, ‘farmer protestors’ gave calls for ‘Bharat Bandh’ in Punjab and caused a loss of ₹500 crores in a single day. The protestors disrupted normalcy in both urban and rural areas of the State. They put up road blockades in 321 locations including link roads, State and National Highways. The ‘farmers’ staged demonstrations in a total of 365 places in Punjab. A total of 32 farmer unions protested at 200 places.
While Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ugrahan) created road and rail blockades in 16 districts of Punjab, the Kisan Mazdoor Sangrash Committee followed it up in 12 other districts. In urban areas such as Ludhiana, shopkeepers operated during the morning hours but closed shops afternoon. Amritsar observed a complete ‘bandh’ and the SGPC office remained shut to express solidarity with the protestors.
