Received unprecedented response to Bharat Bandh call: Samyukta Kisan Morcha

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), a united forum of farmer unions protesting the three farm laws, on Monday said its call for a Bharat Bandh received an ''unprecedented and historic'' response from more than 23 states, and not a single untoward incident was reported from anywhere.

''Reports have been pouring in about the overwhelmingly positive and resounding response to the Bharat Bandh call … to mark 10 months of peaceful protests with rightful demands from the 'annadaatas' of the country. Spontaneous participation from various sections of the society was witnessed at most places,'' it said in a statement.

The SKM said the bandh was observed peacefully in ''more than 23 states'' and not a single untoward incident was reported.

It also appreciated state governments and political parties that extended support to the bandh.

''Reports have come in from hundreds of locations from Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Kerala, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Pondicherry, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal about the bandh, and numerous events to accompany the same,'' the statement said.

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, it said.

''Life came to a near standstill in several states like Kerala, Punjab, Haryana, Jharkhand, and Bihar. Reports indicate that in several parts of southern Assam, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Uttarakhand, this was the situation. Scores of protests marked the day in states like Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand,'' the SKM said in the statement.