Punjab grinds to a halt as farmers protest MSP

Chandigarh- Farmers in Punjab brought the state to a near standstill on Monday in response to a shutdown call by farmer organizations demanding a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) for crops. The nine-hour shutdown, which began at 6 a.m. and ended at 4 p.m., impacted daily commuters, office-goers, and transportation services across the state.

Over 200 trains, including the Vande Bharat and Shatabdi, were affected as private bus transporters joined the strike. National highways in major cities and towns were shut, with farmers, including women and elderly, blocking roads and urging shopkeepers to close. The shutdown was particularly effective in rural areas, where farmers closed almost all roads.

The shutdown was called in support of farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who has been on a hunger strike for over a month demanding the government address farmers' concerns.

"Emergency services like medical services will continue, airport passengers will not be stopped, vehicles of marriage parties also will not be stopped. Besides, students will also be allowed to go for their exams. We urge the entire Punjab, especially the youth, to follow what the forum decides,” said Kisan Mazdoor Morcha leader Sarwan Singh Pandher, emphasizing that the shutdown would not impact essential services.

Reports of the shutdown's impact were received from major cities like Mohali, Patiala, Ludhiana, Moga, Ferozepur, Bathinda, Hoshiarpur, and Jalandhar. Schools and offices announced a holiday following the shutdown announcement. The impact of the shutdown was not seen in Chandigarh.

The protesting farmers have been demanding a legal MSP for crops, loan waivers, and agricultural reforms since February 13, when they began their protest at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders between Punjab and Haryana.

Last week, farmer unions announced they had received support for the shutdown from various employee unions, traders, and transporters. The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) has also reached out to President Droupadi Murmu, seeking an appointment to discuss the ongoing situation, including Dallewal's hunger strike, which entered its 35th day on Monday. The SKM also wants to discuss the introduction of a National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing. A retired police official, Jaskaran Singh, led a delegation that met Dallewal on Sunday evening to persuade the fasting leader to end his fast, but they failed.