Punjab witnessed a complete shutdown on Monday, 30 December 2024, as farmers’ unions staged a statewide bandh, blocking roads, railway tracks, and shutting markets in their continued fight for long-pending demands of MSP and others.
Farmers permitted emergency vehicles and wedding processions; however, they clashed with shopkeepers who were reluctant to close their shops and businesses. They even warned of boycotting stores that disagreed with them. Following this, a video of a ‘middle-class woman’ confronting the protestors has gone viral, where she is against closing the shop, claiming it will only benefit farmers and not local shop owners who solely earn from these shops.
In the video, a visibly frustrated woman is shown confronting protestors during the Punjab Bandh. “Where will we go after closing our shops? How will we earn?, she said.
WATCH:
Lady faces off Protestor during Punjab Bandh !!
LADY : “Where will we go after closing our shops? How will we earn? You have SUVs, Fortuners. Are u farmers?”
PROTESTOR : “What happened?”
LADY : “You get loan waivers, free electricity & manure BUT we don’t get anything” pic.twitter.com/HtkySqki71
— CK Jain (@ckjain001) January 1, 2025
She questioned the protestors, saying, ‘You have SUVs, Fortuners. Are you farmers?. She added, “You get loan waivers, free electricity, and manure, but we get nothing. Why should we suffer for your protests?” she demanded.
The incident brought attention to the collateral damage experienced by small business owners, shopkeepers, and daily wage earners whose livelihoods depend on uninterrupted work, even though the bandh, which was organized by Samyukta Kisan Morcha (a non-political organization) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, was intended to pressure the government into granting farmers’ demands.
Many people on social media have expressed similar worries about how the middle class is affected by both disruptive protests and government inaction, “The middle class pays taxes but gets no benefits. Farmers protest, unions strike, and governments dole out subsidies, but what about us?” one user commented.
What are farmers’ demands?
The bandh was called to demand a legal guarantee for the minimum support price (MSP) of crops, along with other issues such as debt waivers, pensions for farmers, withdrawal of police cases, no hike in electricity tariffs, and justice for victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence.
At the forefront of the agitation is 70-year-old farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who is on a hunger strike.
Punjab Bandh
The bandh paralyzed life across Punjab. Roads and railway tracks were blocked, bringing goods transport to a standstill and leaving commuters stranded. Highways leading to major cities, including Patiala, Amritsar, and Bathinda, were sealed. Public transport services were suspended, forcing thousands of travelers to cancel plans.
In Amritsar, key roads such as GT Road and bypasses were blocked, halting the movement of goods and essential supplies. Pilgrims traveling to the Golden Temple and Durgiana Temple faced severe inconvenience due to limited transport options.
Meanwhile, in Bathinda, the disruption of railway services prompted the Ferozepur division to refund over ₹6.5 lakh to passengers who missed their trains.
ALSO READ: Protesting Farmers Call ‘Punjab Bandh’ To Demand MSP Guarantee; Traffic Hit, Rail Services Disrupted
