Kamaljeet Gill, chairman of the Delhi Sarvodaya Drivers Association, which is mainly made up of drivers who work with cab aggregators, said he will also join the strike on Tuesday. However, Rajender Soni, general secretary of Delhi Auto Rickshaw Sangh, and the Delhi Pradesh taxi union, said that many “important” unions of car, taxi and last mile drivers will not join the strike. “We fully sympathize with the farmers’ struggle and support their demand. But drivers of cars, taxis and Gramin Sewa and other vehicles of the last mile are already badly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and cannot afford to do so. strike now, “Soni said. Chandu Chaurasia, vice president of the Capital Driver Welfare Association, said that the government must meet the demands of farmers, but that it should not be achieved by causing inconvenience to ordinary people.
Congress, TRS, DMK and the AAP joined other opposition parties in extending their support for Bharat Bandh on December 8 called by farmers unions who have been protesting on the Delhi borders for 11 days demanding the repeal of the new agricultural marketing laws of the Center. The Trinamool Congress, RJD and left-wing parties, as well as a joint platform of 10 central unions, had backed the national strike on Saturday.
The head of the NCP and former union agriculture minister, Sharad Pawar, warned the Center that if the stalemate continues, the unrest will not be limited to Delhi and people across the country will support protesting farmers. Expressing congressional “unconditional” support for the strike call, party spokesman Pawan Khera said protests will be held on that day in all districts and state headquarters in solidarity with the demands of farmers.
Addressing the media at the AICC headquarters in Delhi, he said that former party chief Rahul Gandhi, through tractor rallies, signature drives and Kisaan rallies, has been raising the party’s voice in support of the farmers. “All the headquarters in our district and in Pradesh will participate in this bandh. They will hold demonstrations and make sure that the bandh is a success,” Khera said.
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