Farmers across India are all set to begin their one day nationwide strike, the Bharat Bandh on the 8th of December.
The strike would begin at 11:00 A.M., across India in support of farmers of Haryana and Punjab.
Thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, are protesting at various border points of Delhi against the new farm laws.
The farmer’s unions/organisations and farmers of Haryana and Punjab called for the nationwide strike against the three farm bills.
The three farm bills are, the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill 2020, the Farmers Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill 2020 (Empowerment and Protection) and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill 2020, were cleared by the President of India.
According to the passed bills, the Minimum Support Price (MSP,) area of trading would be under the purview of the Indian Government.
Farmers fear of being at the mercy of corporates or zamindars for crop prices and it would affect their livelihood and financial conditions.
They also think the newly introduced bills would also demolish the Minimum Support Price (MSP) advantages for farmers.
In addition, the Bharat Bandh decision of the farmers is being supported by several party leaders.
Almost all the opposition parties including the Indian National Congress (INC,) the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS,) the Samajwadi Party (SP,) the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP,) the Trinamool Congress (TMC,) the Shiv Sena and others extended their support.
Besides, the Central Government advisory for today’s Bharat Bandh, the state and union territory governments also issued their guidelines for the nationwide strike.
Delhi:
The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Government supported the farmers in their agitation and the Bharat Bandh.
However, the farmers are asked to conduct a peaceful protest, without disturbing locals, traffic and citizens.
The Delhi police said they would take strict legal action against persons who would try to disrupt the movement of traffic or people or forcefully close shops.
Nearly 4,000 traffic and thousands of security personnel will be deployed on the borders and the city roads to regulate the traffic and avoid any untoward incidents.
Punjab:
In Punjab there would be a major impact of the strike, as the majority of protestors are from Punjab.
All political parties, traders’ bodies, truck unions and mandi associations extended support to the nationwide strike.
The Sikh Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC,) the highest religious body of Sikhs said the strike would be complete.
Haryana:
In Haryana, five legislators of the Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala led Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) have extended support to the protest. All major markets in the state are expected to remain closed with farmers’ bodies planning blockades along major highways.
Navdeep Singh Virk, the Additional Director General of Police (law and order) of Haryana, alerted the public of traffic blockages while travelling on various roads and highways of the State.
Uttar Pradesh:
In the BJP ruled state, thousands of protesters have marched to the Capital.
Opposition parties, including the INC, the SP and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) have supported the Bandh.
The general strike is likely to have a major impact in western Uttar Pradesh as the Bhartiya Kisan Union has influence.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed officials not to compromise with peace and order and take all necessary steps for ensuring that people do not face any problem because of the proposed ‘Bharat Bandh.’
West Bengal:
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) State decided to extend “moral support” to the nationwide strike called by farmers.
The Mamata Banerjee led State Government, in solidarity, will stage sit ins in various parts of the State for the next three days.
A senior TMC leader and lawmaker Saugata Roy, said the party will not enforce the strike called by the farmers as it is against the “bandh culture.”
Maharashtra:
The ruling alliance of the Shiv Sena, the INC and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) have supported the Bharat Bandh.
Offices in major cities like Mumbai and Pune may continue to operate but highways in rural areas of Marathwada and Vibadhra could be blocked.
Bihar: Opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Congress and the Left parties have supported the call for the bandh in Bihar, which is ruled by a coalition of the BJP, Janata Dal(United) or JD(U) and other small parties. The Tejashwi Yadav led RJD has announced protests across the state due to which the police fear major blockades.
The Bandh was called after 5 rounds of talk with the Central Government and 132 farmer’s associations and unions.
The last round of talks between the farmer’s unions and the Central Government was held on the 5th of December at 3:00 P.M.,
However, all the negotiations and meetings failed to break the protest of the farmers
The Central Government proposed another meeting on the 9th of December with the representatives of the protesting farmers.
The Bharat Bandh agitation would begin at 11:00 A.M., and would end at 3:00 P.M.
Stay tuned for further updates.
