While the nationwide 10-hour shutdown against the Centre’s three controversial farm laws evoked mixed response, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) Rakesh Tikait called it a "success" and Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) claimed that the strike received "unprecedented and historic" response from more than 23 states. Farmer leader Yogendra Yadav called the shutdown “extraordinarily successful.”
Tikait said the public supported the bandh and attempted to justify the inconvenience caused to people saying "let one day be in solidarity with farmers." "Bharat bandh was a success, public supported it. It is okay if public experienced some inconvenience, let one day be in solidarity with farmers who have been experiencing troubles (protesting against farm laws at Delhi border) under sun, heat for last 10 months," ANI quoted him as saying.
"I don't know what is going to be the end of this protest but the movement has begun and the country's youth, who often remained away from discussion on farming-related issues, is also joining it," he said.
Further, the farmer leader said a solution to the ongoing protests can be achieved only through dialogue and not in the courts of law.
The SKM, a united forum of farmer unions, in a statement, said, "Reports have been pouring in about the overwhelmingly positive and resounding response to the Bharat bandh call … to mark 10 months of peaceful protests with rightful demands from the 'annadaatas' of the country. Spontaneous participation from various sections of the society was witnessed at most places."
There were no untoward incidents and the bandh was observed peacefully in "more than 23 states" as state governments and political parties extended support to the bandh.
"Life came to a near standstill in several states like Kerala, Punjab, Haryana, Jharkhand and Bihar. Reports indicate that in several parts of southern Assam, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand, this was the situation. Scores of protests marked the day in states like Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand," the SKM said in the statement.
The bandh, which saw demonstrations in many places, passed off relatively peacefully. It was felt the most around Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, the centre of the farm protests, and also in large pockets of Kerala, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha. Protesters blocked highways and arterial roads and squatted on tracks in several places from morning. The blockade was lifted at 4 pm.
North India felt the pinch with about 25 trains being affected and massive jams that prevented the cross border movement of commuters as well as trucks carrying essentials.
Punjab saw a complete shutdown in many places, including Moga, where farmers blocked national highways, while in Haryana, highways in Sirsa, Fatehabad and Kurukshetra were blocked. Kerala saw total shutdown with people who had to travel opting for private modes of transport while others stayed home.
In West Bengal, life was largely unaffected but Left activists blocked roads and railway tracks in many places. The bandh evoked mixed response in Bihar and Odisha as well.
—With PTI inputs
