Punjab bandh paralyses road, rail traffic; AAP govt fails to shift Dallewal to hospital

Normal life was affected across Punjab today during a nine-hour statewide 'bandh' called by farmers protesting against the Centre in support of their demand for a legal guarantee of the minimum support price for their crops. The Punjab 'bandh', which was observed from 7 am to 4 pm, evoked good response, claimed farm union leaders. Road and rail services were paralysed as the farmers staged protests at around 200 places, including in Patiala, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Ferozepur, Bathinda and Pathankot, causing inconvenience to people.

Commercial establishments remained shut in most parts of the state.

Rs 1,400 cr losses in Ludhiana alone Punjab traders and industrialists claimed to have suffered losses worth hundreds of crores due to the 'bandh'. They pegged Ludhiana's losses alone at Rs 1,400 crore.

Upkar Singh Ahuja, president of the Chamber of Industrial and Commercial Undertakings, said nobody seemed to be bothered about their losses. The Punjab Government itself suffered an estimated Rs 40 crore loss in daily tax collection. Over 220 trains hit, commuters bear brunt

The Punjab 'bandh' disrupted train and road traffic, leaving thousands of passengers stranded in freezing weather conditions. At Ambala Cantonment railway station, passengers, including families and workers, crowded platforms, waiting areas and ticket counters as many trains were cancelled, short-terminated or rescheduled. The schedule of more than 220 trains was impacted.

Though the 'bandh' remained peaceful, commuters were seen arguing with protesters in some places.

The farmers allowed passage to patients and those undertaking emergency travel, and didn't hinder essential services, said the union leaders.

A call for the shutdown was given over a week ago by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha. The bandh was also enforced to express solidarity with farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who has been on a fast for the last 35 days at the Khanauri border protest site. With Dallewal continuing to refuse medical aid, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann cut short his Australia visit and reached here late Saturday evening.

Throughout Sunday and even today, attempts were made by the state government, through "interlocutor" and former ADGP Jaskaran Singh, to convince Dallewal, but to no avail.

The Chief Minister, it is learnt, was being provided regular updates on the situation and the dialogue between the two sides. Dallewal has put a condition before the state government that he would seek treatment only if Punjab facilitated talks between the protesting farmers and the Centre. Punjab is said to have raised the matter with the Union Agriculture Ministry and was awaiting its response.

Under pressure from the Supreme Court, which has set December 31 deadline to provide medical care to Dallewal, Punjab Government functionaries today are learnt to have considered using force to shift the fasting leader to hospital, but decided against doing so later. A huge police posse had been kept on standby in Patiala and Ladda Kothi (Sangrur). Fearing police action, farmers formed a three-tier ring around Dallewal and nobody, barring Jaskaran, was allowed near him.

Sources said the state government would seek additional time from the top court on Tuesday to deal with the issue. A Supreme Court-appointed committee, which is headed by Justice Nawab Singh (retired), meanwhile, today invited Samyukt Kisan Morcha leaders for talks on January 3. The committee was constituted to resolve the issues of farmers protesting at Shambhu and Khanauri border points in September and has already met SKM (Non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha leaders.

There, however, has been no dialogue between the Centre and farmer unions even since the talks broke down after three rounds in February. The protesters have been camping at Shambhu and Khanauri since February 13 after their march to Delhi was foiled by security forces. Aam Aadmi Party MP Malvinder Singh Kang has urged the Centre to "break the deadlock and resume dialogue with farmers".

Expressing concern over Dallewal's health, he criticised the Centre for "ignoring the demands of the protesters".