Bharat Bandh: Congress supported ‘farmer’ protestors block roads, sit on railway tracks but fail to make an impact

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.

https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1442354626292973574?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

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.”

https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/1442316838365384706?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

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.

https://twitter.com/RahulGandhi/status/1442328824377643009?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw 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. https://twitter.com/priyankagandhi/status/1442348271549095948?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw His sister and Uttar Pradesh Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra too tweeted in support of farmers.

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.

https://twitter.com/PrinceK49558282/status/1442317176984125441?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Another user informed that the people of Patna has not extended their support to Bharat Bandh. “My city if fully open,” he emphasised.

https://twitter.com/srishirajIND/status/1442324489723801600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Another Twitter user said that the people of Kolkata too are going about their business as usual.

https://twitter.com/CupidWitty/status/1442342750817447937?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

‘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.