Union Minister Amit Shah has summoned farmers to talk at 7pm tonight, the day before the sixth round of government negotiations with agricultural leaders on the new agricultural laws.
“We have a meeting with the Minister of the Interior at 7 pm today. We are going to the Singhu border now and from there we will go to the Minister of the Interior,” Rakesh Tikait, a spokesman for Bharatiya Kisan Union told the ANI news agency.
Farmers’ unions organized a nationwide Bharat Bandh on Tuesday to protest against the new agricultural laws introduced by the Center. Farmers threatened to block national highways and occupy toll plazas across the country during a ‘chakka jam’ protest from 11 am to 3 pm, part of the ‘bandh’ that occurs one day before the Center meets with farmer representatives for another round of talks on Wednesday in an attempt to resolve the deadlock.
Meanwhile, peasant leaders have said that no one should be forced to observe ‘Bharat Bandh’ on Tuesday and that emergency services will be allowed.
All of India Kisan Sabha Secretary General Hannan Mollah described the shutdown as a show of force by farmers. “We support our demand that we want a complete repeal of the three laws and we will not accept any cosmetic changes … If our demands are not met, we are ready to take our agitation to the next level,” Mollah said.
Protesting farmers fear that the new laws will pave the way to remove the safety of the Minimum Livelihood Price cushion and end the ‘mandis’, leaving them at the mercy of large corporations. The government maintains that the new laws will provide better opportunities for farmers and usher in new technologies in agriculture. Farmers from Punjab and also from Haryana have been the driving forces behind the movement. In Punjab, shops and commercial establishments were closed, as well as 3,400 fuel pumps. From the morning, the farmer leaders called on the traders and traders to keep the shutters closed. All major Punjab parties, the ruling Congress, the AAP and the Shiromani Akali Dal, have also given their support.
More than 50,000 government employees have taken massive casual leave in support of farmers, said the president of the Punjab Civil Secretariat Staff Association Sukhchain Khaira. In neighboring BJP-JJP ruled Haryana, the opposition parties Congress and National Indian Lok Dal extended their support. Farmers gathered on highways and other key highways in both states early in the morning.
Earlier in the day, Delhi’s Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal visited the Singhu border, where thousands of farmers are protesting against the Center’s new agricultural laws, and reviewed the arrangements made for them by the city government.
In the bandh called by the farmers on Tuesday, the prime minister said: “AAP will participate in the national strike. I hope that the whole country will join it peacefully and I call on you to join and support the farmers.”
Farmers have threatened to intensify their agitation and block more roads leading to the national capital if the government does not accept their demand.
Earlier in the day, Delhi’s Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal visited the Singhu border, where thousands of farmers are protesting against the Center’s new agricultural laws, and reviewed the arrangements made for them by the city government.
In the bandh called by the farmers on Tuesday, the prime minister said: “AAP will participate in the national strike. I hope that the whole country will join it peacefully and I call on you to join and support the farmers.”
Farmers have threatened to intensify their agitation and block more roads leading to the national capital if the government does not accept their demand.
Talks between the government and protesting farmers’ unions have so far been futile and the sixth round of discussions is scheduled for Wednesday.
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