Road blockade, protest marches, market shutdowns mark Bharat Bandh, farmers call it a success

Several trains were cancelled, highways and key roads blocked and many thousands stranded for hours on Monday as a nationwide 10-hour shutdown against the Centre’s three agriculture laws disrupted lives across parts of India, particularly in the north. 

The bandh had been called to mark a year since the contentious laws were signed into law by President Ram Nath Kovind.

Also Read Bharat Bandh: Snapshots from farmers protests across country

In Punjab alone, people gathered at more than 500 locations to express their support to the bandh. Numerous non-farmer associations also stood in solidarity with farmers.

About 25 trains were affected in north India due to the Bharat Bandh called by farm unions to protest the Centre's three agricultural laws.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha, the united forum of farmer unions, protesting the three farm laws, on Monday said its call for a Bharat Bandh received "unprecedented and historic" response from more than 23 states and not a single untoward incident was reported from anywhere. It also appreciated state governments and political parties that extended support to the bandh.

In West Bengal, life was largely unaffected but Left activists blocked roads and railway tracks in many places.

In Bihar and Odisha too protests and rail lines were blocked in pockets in some cities.

In Kerala, where the strike was supported by the ruling LDF and the opposition Congress-led UDF, KSRTC bus services were off the road with almost all trade unions in the state taking part

There were attempts to organise a road blockade in Karnataka on state and national highways which led to disruption of vehicular movement