Bharat Bandh evokes mixed response in Haryana

Tribune News Service

Ambala, March 26

The Bharat Bandh call received a good response in Ambala and Kurukshetra. In Ambala, farmers blocked the Delhi-Chandigarh National Highway, the railway track near Shahpur village, National Highway-344 near Hema Majra village in Mullana, and roads in Karsan and Saini Majra, besides at toll plazas.

Dharna cut short to 5 hrs in palwal

Palwal: Farmers and residents blocked the NH-19 near Antoha village in the district for five hours between 11 am and 4 pm on Friday. Though the bandh call was for 12 hours, the dharna was cut short to five hours in the wake of a lukewarm response. Representatives of 52 pal (khaps) condemned the alleged failure of the government to resolve the issues concerning the farmers. TNS

In Kurukshetra, the farmers blocked roads at 14 locations, including the Teokar border, Pehowa Chowk, Ladwa road, near the Thanesar railway station and Karah Sahib. Though traffic was diverted to alternative routes, long queues of vehicles were witnessed on the national highways, causing inconvenience to commuters.

A woman, who was on her way from Jaipur to Chandimandir in Panchkula to join duty as a teacher in Army School, was stranded in Ambala. She was seen crying and requesting the protesters to let her go. She said that they should at least let the public transport and personal vehicles to go. The farmers said that the woman wanted to reach Chandimandir to join duty, so they would drop her.

Shashi, a commuter at Ambala Cantonment railway station, said, “I have to reach Delhi to catch another train for Bihar, but I don’t think I will be able to reach in time. These people have been regularly causing inconvenience to people”. The Unchahar Express that reached Kurukshetra around 6.45 am was stuck at the Kurukshetra railway junction.

Meanwhile, passengers expressed displeasure and said that the government should resolve the matter at the earliest. The Railways should have cancelled the train or informed the passengers that it would be stopped at the Kurukshetra station due to the agitation.

In the markets, a large number of shopkeepers kept their shops closed to avoid any confrontation. BKU leaders visited the markets and appealed to the shopkeepers to keep their shops closed.

Jhajjar: The Bharat Bandh call given by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) evoked a mixed response in Jhajjar district on Friday. Shops and other business establishments in main markets remained open in Jhajjar and Bahadurgarh cities while farmers disrupted rail traffic by sitting on the Rohtak-Delhi track at the Bahadurgarh railway station.

The protesters also blocked the Rohtak-Delhi highway at the Rohad toll plaza, the Rohtak-Jhajjar highway at the Dighal toll plaza and the Jhajjar-Badli road.