Malwa, 30 Dec. 2024: The Punjab bandh called by farmer unions caused widespread disruptions on Monday across seven districts in South Malwa: Faridkot, Fazilka, Moga, Ferozepur, Muktsar, Mansa, and Bathinda. Protesters shut down rail tracks, national and state highways, and key markets in the region, as part of their demand for a legal guarantee on the minimum support price (MSP) for crops.
From 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., public and private buses remained off the roads, and commerce in major markets halted across all affected districts. Farmers blocked key national highways, including Bathinda-Amritsar in Faridkot and Sirsa-Ludhiana in Mansa. Rail tracks at Faridkot, Kotkapura, and Mansa were also obstructed.
In Faridkot, the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU-Sidhupur) led the protests, organizing marches and blocking major traffic points like Bajakhana Chowk and Battian Wala Chowk. Banks across the district were shut after protesters persuaded bank authorities to join the shutdown. “We allowed emergency vehicles to pass, despite the blockades,” said Jagdev Singh, district president of BKU (Sidhupur).
In Bathinda, protesters shut Kanhaiya Chowk, a major junction leading to Amritsar and Chandigarh. Moga saw highway blockages on Ludhiana-Ferozepur and Moga-Jalandhar routes, with additional rail disruptions. Ferozepur and Fazilka, two border districts, experienced severe traffic blockages, halting all movement in and out of the districts.
The bandh also shut down daily life in Muktsar, as farmers and their supporters ensured major transport routes remained blocked, demonstrating unity in their cause for farm law reforms and MSP guarantees.
