Partial response to bandh call

There was, however, no report of any untoward incident

Chandigarh Normal life was disrupted in Congress-ruled Punjab due to the nationwide shutdown call of trade unions on Wednesday against the BJP-led NDA government’s policies. There was, however, no report of any untoward incident. Several farmer associations, who had called a separate Grameen Bharat Bandh (Rural India shutdown), mainly for implementation of the Swaminathan Commission recommendations and other demands, were also seen asking traders at several places to keep their shops and business establishments closed.

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FARMERS BLOCK RAIL TRAFFIC IN AMRITSAR

Farmers blocked rail traffic near the station. Activists of trade unions, Left organisations, student bodies and bank unions demonstrated by raising slogans against the Centre over the CAA and the National Register of Citizens NRC at the Bhandari Bridge. Public response to the strike was partial. Shops remained open, transport was normal, but public sector banks were closed. A similar scenario was seen at Tarn Taran, Gurdaspur, Batala and Pathankot

TRAFFIC OUT OF GAR IN SANGRUR, MANSA, BARNALA

CPI members joined about 250 protesters and marched towards the Mansa railway station and blocked trains on the Bathinda-Delhi section. Activists of the All-India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee and Left wing outfits blocked roads in Sangrur, BhawanigarEh, Dhuri and Longowal towns. Anganwadi workers, members of the CPI, the AISF and the CITU blocked Barnala, Ludhiana and Delhi roads at Mahavir Chowk in Sangrur. Farmers blocked the Sangrur-Chandigarh highway. Shops and banks remained open.

BUSES PLY NORMALLY IN MALWA

State-owned bus services in Bathinda, Moga, Faridkot and Muktsar plied normally. State government employees under the aegis of Left-backed trade unions held protests. Commercial establishments functioned normally.

In Bathinda, farmers blocked the Bathinda-Chandigarh national highway at Lehra Mohabbat for two hours. The supply of milk in urban areas was considerably hit, while supply of vegetables was hit partially. In Faridkot and Moga, shops remained open and transport services remained operational. Farmer, students and social unions protested at bus stands.

MARKETS OPEN IN LUDHIANA

Bank employees and anganwadi workers held a protest at the Bharat Nagar Chowk. Markets remained open. Except Punjab Roadways, others bus services, including PRTC, were operational. Members of the Bhagat Singh Auto Union also held a protest opposite the DC office. Another protest was held at the Industrial Focal Point area.

STUDENTS PROTEST AT PUNJABI UNIVERSITY

Patiala Students and teachers of Punjabi University in Patiala joined the protest and did not allow the rest to enter the campus. The students were accompanied by members of employee unions. They condemned the violence at JNU in Delhi.

AMID PROTESTS, BUSINESS AS USUAL IN DOABA

Jalandhar: More than 60 trade unions, Left organisations, roadways and bank employees protested across Doaba, but shops and markets remained open. Central Indian Trade Union (CITU) workers, and others, gathered at Desh Bhagat Yaadgari Hall in Jalandhar and organised a march. Auto drivers and Punjab Roadways employees protested near the city bus stand. Supply of vegetables and milk remained normal. Raghunath Singh, general secretary, Punjab CITU, said, “We are against the central government move to privatise public sector and also seek the revocation of the CAA.” In Jalandhar, around 250 buses PUNBUS off the road while private and PRTC buses remained operational.

In Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, Indian Federation of Trade unions blocked Nawanshahr-Chandigarh highway for an hour. In Hoshiarpur, trade unions held a demonstration.

FINNISH WOMAN JOINS PROTEST IN NABHA

Nabha Arriving in India to participate in the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak, Kirsi, a Finnish woman, who has since changed her name to Shripreet Kaur, also joined the protest at the Bouran Gate Chowk. She has converted to Sikhism was accompanying her friend, Karamjit Kaur, an anganwadi worker. “In Finland, long discussions are organised before framing policies and the government deals with protests with high sensitivity,” she said.

Members of trade and labour unions had blocked the Bouran Gate Chowk. The road near Rohti bridge was also blocked.