As the day-long Bharat Bandh against the new farm laws came to a close on Tuesday, farmers’ leaders spoke on the nationwide strike and claimed that their ‘Bharat Bandh’ was “successful”. The sixth round of talks between union ministers and the farmers’ leaders is slated for December 9 (Wednesday).
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Addressing a press conference at the Singhu border, farmers’ leader Rudru Singh Mansa said that the central government has bowed down before the Bharat Bandh.
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Farmers will demand just a “yes or no” to their demands when they meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah, their leaders said. A group of farmer leaders will meet Shah in the evening. “There is no midway. We will demand just ‘yes’ or ‘no’ from Home Minister Amit Shah at today’s meeting,” said Mansa.
Another leader Gurnam Singh Chadhuni said the ‘Bharat Bandh’ is successful and the Central government now knows it doesn’t have a way out. The nationwide shutdown was observed in around 10,000 places in 25 states, added Swaraj India leader Yogendra Yadav.
Farmer leaders said the protestors will not go to Burari ground as it is an “open jail” and demanded that Ramlila Ground be given to them. They added that they don’t want to trouble the people of Delhi and Haryana.
“We don’t want to go to Burari, give us Ramlila Ground as we don’t want to trouble people of Delhi and Haryana. Home Minister Amit Shah has called us for a meeting today, we will participate. ‘Bharat Bandh’ is successful, govt now knows they don’t have a way out. ‘Bharat Bandh’ observed in around 10,000 places in 25 states. There is no midway, we will demand just ‘yes’ or ‘no’ from Home Minister Amit Shah at today’s meeting,” said the farmers’ leaders.
Life was disrupted in several parts of the country as shops and commercial establishments stayed closed, the transport was affected and protesters squatted on key roads and rail tracks in response to a ‘Bharat Bandh’ called by farmers. As the day wound to a mostly peaceful close and the farmers termed their show of strength a success, Union Home Minister Amit Shah stepped in to call their leaders for talks.
At the Singhu border, thousands of farmers have been protesting for the last 12 days. A delegation of 13 leaders will meet Shah.
Emergency services were exempted and banks, too, continued operations as the pan-India shutdown, backed by most opposition parties and trade unions, rolled out noisily but peacefully with its impact felt in Punjab, Haryana and Delhi, the epicentre of the snowballing protests, as well as in states such as Odisha, Maharashtra, Bihar and Jharkhand.
The pandemic appeared to recede into the background as security was stepped up across the country, restive crowds demonstrated in some places and the numbers swelled at Delhi’s border points. Protesters also blocked railway tracks at several places in West Bengal, Bihar and Odisha.
From the Rajasthan capital Jaipur, where ‘mandis’ were closed but shops open, there were reports of clashes between workers of the state’s ruling Congress and the BJP. In Delhi, where most main markets were open, tension spiralled with the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) alleging that Delhi Police had put Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal under house arrest till evening. City police denied the claim but AAP leaders stuck to their stand.
Farmer unions had threatened to block national highways and occupy toll plazas across the country during a ‘chakka jam’ protest from 11 am to 3 pm. All India Kisan Sabha general secretary Hannan Mollah described the shutdown as a show of strength by the farmers. “We are standing by our demand that we want a complete repeal of the three laws and 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.
The protesting farmers fear the new laws will pave the way for eliminating the safety of the Minimum Support Price cushion and do away with ‘mandis’, leaving them at the mercy of big corporates. The government maintains the new laws will bring farmers better opportunities and usher in new technologies in agriculture.
Opposition parties are expected to meet President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday evening to raise their concerns about the three laws.
“Leaders from different political parties (those opposing the farm bills) will sit, discuss and take a collective stand on the contentious farm laws before meeting President Ram Nath Kovind,” NCP chief Sharad Pawar told reporters.
Farmers from Punjab and also Haryana have been the drivers of the movement against the laws. In both states, shops and commercial establishments were closed as were thousands of fuel pumps. Farmers assembled at highways and other key roads in both states since morning.
All major parties in Punjab–the ruling Congress, AAP and the Shiromani Akali Dal — extended their support. Over 50,000 government employees took mass casual leave in support of farmers, said Punjab Civil Secretariat Staff Association president Sukhchain Khaira.
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In neighbouring BJP-JJP ruled Haryana, the opposition Congress and Indian National Lok Dal extended their support. The Haryana Police traffic advisory had warned commuters that main national highways would be closed and the peak time of impact was expected to be between 12 noon to 3 pm.
