Chandigarh, December 29, 2024: A statewide bandh has been announced in Punjab for Monday, December 30, as farmers continue their protests at the Shambu and Khanuri borders. The shutdown will spare only emergency services, with calls for public support ahead of a major Kisan Mahapanchayat planned for January 4 at the Khanuri border.
Farmer leader Balkaran Singh Dallewal’s health has sharply deteriorated due to his ongoing hunger strike. Rising ketone levels and severe dehydration have put him in critical condition, with doctors urging immediate medical intervention.
Expressing dismay over a recent Supreme Court order, a visibly upset Dallewal questioned the judiciary’s stance, describing it as aligned with the central government. “The Supreme Court should be a refuge for justice, but this ruling feels otherwise,” he said, maintaining that his hunger strike remains a personal and unpressured decision.
