E-Paper
Bharat Bandh: Farmers block NH-44, raise anti-govt slogans in Ambala
The farmer unions were joined by various opposition parties, including the INLD and Congress.
The Bharat Bandh called by farmers evoked a positive response in Ambala, as several opposition parties and social activists joined the movement on Tuesday.
Led by Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) district vice-president Gulab Singh and BKU leader Harkesh Singh, the farmers occupied Jagadhri Gate and Polytechnic Chowk for hours after roving around the markets on tractors, bikes and cars, appealing the shopkeepers to close their units.
The farmers also blocked the Delhi-Amritsar national highway (NH-44), which connects the national capital with the northern states, near Kingfisher Tourist Resorts by parking their two-wheelers in the middle of the road, disrupting the traffic flow on one side. They only allowed the vehicles of those in emergency services and the farmers going to Delhi border for protest.
Due to this, the Ambala police created several diversions along the highway to facilitate the movement of daily commuters.
“The black laws must be taken back. This is just a symbolic protest, we are ready for everything,” said Harpal Singh, a member of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, addressing the protesters on the highway.
In Ambala Cantonment, opposition leaders from Congress and INLD and activists of Sarva Karamchari Sangh joined the protest march that passed through Bazaza Bazaar, Halwai Bazaar, Cross Roads, Kasera Bazaar, Ram Bagh Road, Grain Market, and several other areas of the Sadar zone.
Activists of Northern Railways Men’s Union (NRMU), led by divisional secretary CS Bajwa, staged a dharna at the Ambala Cantt railway station.
A mixed response to the bandh was witnessed in Yamunanagar district, where a few shops near ITI, Jagadhri workshop and Kamani Chowk were seen closed during the protest hours.
As announced, the farmers had occupied the Milk Majra toll (Gadholi) on the Ambala-Yamunanagar road for nearly five hours by parking their tractor trolleys in a line. Congress workers also protested in both the districts at their respective headquarters.
