Farmer’s Bharat Bandh gets support from the majority of the states
The nationwide shutdown called by the farmers’ unions and the farmers who are protesting against the three farm bills got support from several unions, opposition parties, and state governments of some states.
The farmers Union who called for the ‘Bharat Bandh’ called it a peaceful protest from 11 am to 3 pm. The ‘chakka jam’ protest was to show the disagreement with the farm laws.
Farmers from Punjab, Haryana Uttar Pradesh have been protesting for the last 12 days near the Singhu border of Delhi. The nationwide shutdown was called out after 5 futile meetings with the government.
The farmers are standing with their decision and they are not ready for any sort of compromise offered by the government. “The protest is to show that we don’t support some government policies,” Bharatiya Kisan Union Spokesperson Rakesh Tikait said.
The farmers had the urge for a non-violent protest and they also said that they don’t want to disturb anyone with it. “Tomorrow’s Bharat Bandh is from 11 am to 3 pm. It is a symbolic protest. We will begin at 11 am so everyone can reach the office on time… Services such as ambulance, even weddings, can go on. People can show their card and leave,” Bharatiya Kisan Union Spokesperson Rakesh Tikait had said earlier.
With the intensifying farmers’ protest, opposition leaders have decided to meet the President tomorrow. The NCP president Sharad Pawar said ‘the Opposition leaders will meet to discuss the issue and formulate a collective stand on the contentious farm laws before meeting the President.’
The opposition parties that will meet the President tomorrow to discuss the farm laws are Congress, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPI(M), the Communist Party of India (CPI), the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). Trinamul Congress at the last minute extends its support to meet the president with other leaders.
These parties are also among the 15 opposition parties who are supporting the chakka jam called by farmer unions.
The nationwide chakka jam had the most impact in Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, while the traffic was affected and disrupted in many states. In some states such as West Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha protestors blocked railway tracks at several places.
After 5 fruitless meetings, Today will be the sixth day of talks between the farmers and the central government. National spokesperson of Bhartiya Kisan Union Rakesh Tikait said farmer leaders will meet the home minister today at around 7 pm
Opposition parties from different parts of the country showed their support to the farmers’ unions. Left parties protested against the farm laws in Bengaluru.
TMC also begins its sit-in demonstration to show solidarity towards the farmers but the party was against the bands. “We support the issues raised by the farmers and will hold protest programs and sit-in demonstrations. But we are against shutdowns and the bandh culture and will not enforce it in the state,” TMC MLA Becharam Manna said to reporters.
The effect of Bharat bandh was mixed in Jharkhand, while some private offices were closed majority were govt. And private offices were open.
In Chandigarh Congress workers were arrested for blocking the highway. Jammu witnessed protests in support of farmers.
In Punjab at several places, people came out on the streets with banners in their hands and chants in support of farmers.
“Farmers in the country have come together to oppose the new acts cleared by Parliament. The pressure is mounting and the Centre will have to withdraw these acts. The Centre is helping corporates through such acts,” said Former MP from Kolhapur district and Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatna (SSS) leader Raju Shetti.
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