Jobaaj Stories
Life in Punjab was affected as farmers held a “bandh” (shutdown) to protest the government’s failure to guarantee a minimum support price (MSP) for their crops. The bandh caused problems with both trains and roads, and many shops and businesses were closed. Farmers blocked roads and stopped trains as part of their protest.
Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said essential services like travel to airports, job interviews, and weddings would still be allowed. Emergency services were also running, but most normal transport services, including trains and buses, were halted. This made it difficult for people to move around.
In places like Phagwara, farmers blocked major roads like NH-44, preventing travel to nearby towns. Many grain markets across the state were closed during the protest.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann criticized the central government for not talking to the farmers. He wrote a post saying it was unfair that the government wouldn’t engage with the farmers, who are not far from Delhi.
The farmers have been protesting for months, demanding that the government give a legal guarantee for MSP on their crops. The protests started in February 2023 and have been happening at the Punjab-Haryana border after their march to Delhi was stopped by police.
One of the main leaders of the protest, 70-year-old Jagjit Singh Dallewal, has been on a hunger strike for 35 days. He says he will not eat until the government agrees to the farmers' demands. The Supreme Court has given the Punjab government time until December 31 to get Dallewal to end his hunger strike and go to the hospital if needed.
The farmers are united in asking for a fair price for their crops, something they say is necessary for their survival. The bandh showed how strong their unity is in continuing their fight for a legal MSP guarantee.
