Farmers unions protesting against Centre’s three contentious farm laws will on Monday hold an all-India strike – Bharat Bandh.
Samyukt Kisan Morcha, umbrella body of over 40 farmer unions that is spearheading the anti-farm laws protests, has called for the nationwide strike from 6 am to 4 pm.
In a statement, the farmers’ group appealed to citizens to join the nationwide movement and make the bandh a “resounding success”. “…In particular, we appeal to all organisations of workers, traders, transporters, businessmen, students, youth and women and all social movements to extend solidarity with the farmers that day.”
Several political parties, including Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, TDP, YSR Congress, RJD, CPI(M), SP, have extended support to the Bharat Bandh call given by farmer unions. Several state governments have also extended support to the Bandh call including Punjab, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh to name a few.
The 10-hour strike could possibly hamper public transport, government offices and private businesses since trade and transport unions have also extended their support to the Bandh at several locations.
The SKM said that during the strike all government and private offices, educational and other institutions, shops, industries and commercial establishments as well as public events and functions will be closed throughout the country.
It, however, has exempted emergency establishments and essential services, including hospitals, medical stores, relief and rescue work and people attending to personal emergencies.
Thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been protesting against the three laws for more than 10 months now at borders of Delhi.
The Centre and farmer unions have held 11 rounds of talks so far, the last being on January 22, to end the stalemate. The two sides have not resumed their talks since January 26 when Delhi witnessed widespread violence during a tractor rally by protesting farmers.
The Centre has offered to amend the three laws but has ruled out their scrapping.
The three laws — The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020 — were passed by the Parliament in September last year.
Farmer unions have expressed apprehensions that these laws will end the mandi and MSP procurement systems and leave the farmers at the mercy of big corporates. However, the government has rejected these concerns and asserted that these steps will help increase farmers’ income.
