NEW DELHI: A nationwide shutdown farmers’ organisations sought to enforce on Friday in protest against three farm sector reform bills passed by Parliament recently, paralysed Punjab and drew mixed response in Haryana, but had little impact elsewhere.
Life came to a standstill across Punjab as famers blocked roads and squatted on rail tracks. Supply of essential commodities was hit badly and markets did not open during the day. Haryana respoded differently as commercial establishments and public transport were not affected, though the grains markets were deserted. In UP, farmers gathered at the Delhi-Noida border prompting police deployment.
They also blocked the Delhi-Meerut Expressway at Modinagar near Ghaziabad. In Bihar, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav participated in a tractor rally to support the protesting farmers. In Karnataka, farmer unions blocked the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu highway and around 250 protesters were taken into custody.