NEW DELHI: Farmers protesting called for a ‘Bharat Bandh’ on December 8 after several rounds of talks with the central government on the new farm laws yielded no results. Farmers, mainly from Punjab and Haryana, have been demonstrating on the outskirts of Delhi against the three new agricultural laws. As the traffic jam continues, the Center has called another meeting with the farmers on December 9.
Here are the main points:
What do farmers say?
Farmers are protesting against the Center’s new farm laws: Farmers’ Farm Service and Price Guarantee Agreement (Empowerment and Protection), 2020; Trade in Agricultural Products and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Law, 2020; and the Essential Products (Amendment) Act of 2020. They claim that the new laws would pave the way for the dismantling of the minimum support price system, leaving them at the “mercy” of large corporations.
No rollback, just amendments, says the Center
The Minister of State for Agriculture, Kailash Choudhary, reiterated on Sunday that the agricultural laws would not be repealed. However, he added that some amendments can be made to the laws to recognize the demands of farmers.
“These laws passed by the government will give farmers freedom. We always said that farmers should have the right to sell their crops wherever they want. Even the Swaminathan Commission report recommends that. I don’t think the laws should be repealed,” Choudhary said. . Although the government has affirmed that the mechanism will remain, it has also asked unions for more time to present a concrete proposal to resolve the impasse.
18 Opposition parties back down, extend ‘unconditional’ support
Leaders of various political parties, including the president of Congress Sonia Gandhi, Head of DMK MK Stalin, Patriarch of the CPN Sharad Pawar, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and the Left Front Sitaram Yechury and D Raja said on Sunday that they would “wholeheartedly” support Bharat bandh’s call for farmers’ unions. The Rashtriya Loktantrik Party, constituent of the NDA, has supported the so-called bandh. Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), another BJP ally who previously refrained from joining the shutdown, has joined the bandwagon.
However, Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy said his party supports protesting farmers but will not support Bharat Bandh in West Bengal.
Regional parties also join the ranks
Meanwhile, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) led by K Chandrashekar Rao, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) led by Arvind Kejriwal and Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray have also supported the so-called bandh.
Arvind Kejriwal visited the Singhu border on Monday to meet protesting farmers and take stock of the arrangements made for the farmers. As relentless protests continue, Sena spokesman ‘Saamana’ said that if the Union government repeals the farm laws, it will show its “generosity.” However, farmer groups in Kerala have decided to exclude the state from the bandh as five districts of the state go to local polls scheduled for December 8.
The head of the CPN, Sharad Pawar, will meet with President Kovind
Former Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar to Meet with President Ram Nath Kovind December 9. Meanwhile, Pawar, who was the agriculture minister during the UPA regime, reportedly wrote to CM Sheila Dikshit of Delhi in 2010 proposing an amendment to the state APMC Law. In a statement on Monday, the party said that CPN chief Sharad Pawar persuaded many “reluctant” states to implement the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government’s model APMC Law.
Banking, unions extend support
Several banking unions have also expressed solidarity with protesting farmers. The Association of Bank Employees of India (AIBEA) in a statement said that the government should come forward and resolve their demands in the interest of the nation and farmers. In addition, the joint forum of trade unions that has supported the farmers’ protest includes the National Congress of Trade Unions of India (INTUC), the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), the Center for Unions of India (CITU), All India United Trade Union Center (AIUTUC) and Trade Union Co-ordination Center (TUCC).
Transportation services are likely to be disrupted
Services likely to be interrupted on Tuesday, including the supply of milk, vegetables and groceries, transportation and banking. The inhabitants of Delhi may face problems as various car and taxi unions in the national capital have decided to join Bharat Bandh.
The chairman of the Delhi Tourist Taxi Carriers Association Sanjay Samrat said in a statement that several unions, including the Delhi State Taxi Cooperative Society and the Kaumi Ekta Welfare Association, will join the strike on 8 from December. However, many other unions have decided to continue normal service despite their support. to the demand raised by farmers.
The Singhu, NH 44 border is closed due to traffic movement as it enters movement on the 12th
Expecting travel disruptions in and around Delhi, the Traffic Police today suggested alternative routes to and from the national capital on December 8. As part of its notice, National Highway (NH) 44 on both sides has been closed. Travelers have been asked to take alternate routes across the borders of Lampur, Safiabad, Saboli and avoid the outer ring road, GTK road and NH-44. The Chilla border on the Noida link road is closed to traffic from Noida to Delhi, while the Gazipur border on the NH-24 is closed from Ghaziabad to Delhi.
Most notable faces join the commotion
Olympic medalist and congressional leader Vijender Singh on Sunday threatened to return his award to Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna if the central government does not withdraw the agricultural laws. Later that day, Sunny Deol, a BJP MP from Gurdaspur, Punjab, said that she supports both the party and the farmers.
.
