Bharat Bandh: Congress urges PM Modi to think of problems faced by farmers
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Chandigarh: The call for a 10- hour Bharat Bandh today by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), (an umbrella body of over 40 farmer unions) against the three contentious farm laws started today at 6 am and will remain till 4 pm.
As per reports, hundreds of farmers on Monday blocked major highways, including National Highway 1 linking Delhi with parts of Haryana and Punjab, following a nationwide call by farmers' unions to demand scrapping of three Central farm laws.
Traffic across Punjab and Haryana is likely to hit badly and see traffic disruptions for several hours as farmers, farm labourers, commission agents, trade and employee unions and activists of political parties squatted on national highways till 4 p.m.
The protesting farmers parked their tractors on highways and major link roads in both Punjab and Haryana and squatted on the road. Heavy police presence could be seen at various places in Haryana and Punjab to maintain law and others in view of the protest by farmers.
The police diverted traffic at several places as the farmers blocked the highways. However, there was no report of any untoward incident from anywhere in the states. Emergency medical services were exempted from the blockade.
The agitated farmers are demanding the repeal of the three farm laws passed by Parliament last year and have expressed apprehension that they would pave the way for the dismantling of the minimum support price system, leaving them at the mercy of big corporate houses.
The government has maintained that the new laws will provide farmers with better opportunities. It has also accused the opposition parties of misleading farmers.
Live Updates
- 27 Sept 2021 3:57 PM IST
Rallies, demonstrations in Jammu to demand repeal of three farm laws
Jammu: Demonstrations and rallies were held across the Jammu district on Monday in support of the Bharat Bandh called by farmers to demand repeal of the Union government's three farm laws.
Led by CPI(M) leader M Y Tarigami, hundreds of activists and farmers took out a rally and sat on a dharna on the main road, leading to disruption of traffic.
In Jammu, the demonstrations were organised by the Jammu and Kashmir Kissan Tehreek. Expressing solidarity with striking farmers, Om Prakash, General Secretary of Centre of Indian Trade Unions, said there was a need to strengthen worker-peasant unity to fight the neo-liberal policies and "attack" on the livelihood of farmers and the working class.
A similar demonstration was held in Srinagar where farmer leaders Abdul Rashid Pandit, Gh Qadir Hafroo and Abdul Rashid Itoo demanded minimum support price for farm produce. They also said that the horticulture sector has totally been neglected by the government through a major chunk of the population is dependent on it.
- 27 Sept 2021 3:33 PM IST
Normal life unaffected in Maharashtra, non-BJP parties stage protests
Mumbai: Commercial establishments and local transport were operating as usual and normal life remained unaffected across Maharashtra on Monday even as various non-BJP parties held demonstrations and bike rallies in parts of the state in support of the Bharat Bandh called by farmer unions against the Centre's three farm laws
In Mumbai, Congress workers, holding placards, assembled at some places like Andheri and Jogeshwari and shouted slogans against the farm bills, but shops and other commercial establishments were open as usual and traffic movement was normal, they said.
According to a police official, no additional security force was deployed in the city so far, but a decision on the deployment of extra police personnel may be taken later depending on the situation and programmes of political parties.
The police have also not barricaded major junctions and roads, which is otherwise a normal feature during bandhs, and so far no additional security forces have been called from outside the district.
There was no major protest or any untoward incident in the city so far, officials said.
- 27 Sept 2021 3:24 PM IST
Arvind Kejriwal says farmers are being forced to protest
New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said that farmers are being forced to protest and call for Bharat Bandh again and again to raise their demands.
He also requested the Union Government to consider the demands of farmers protesting against the three farm laws, saying it will not be "bowing down" before anyone if it does so.
"The (Union) government should consider their demands. Considering farmers' demands will not be like bowing down in front of anyone as farmers are also people of our country," Kejriwal said.
At another event, Kejriwal said it was sad that farmers have to call for a Bharat Bandh on the birth anniversary of Bhagat Singh to press for their demands.
"If farmers are not heard in independent India, where will they be heard? I appeal to the central government to consider their demands as soon as possible," he said after garlanding the statues of Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru at the Delhi Assembly.
Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party has also extended support to the Bharat Bandh call
- 27 Sept 2021 2:43 PM IST
Bharat Bandh affects normal life in Odisha
Bhubaneswar: Normal life in different parts of Odisha was affected on Monday due to the 10-hour-long Bharat Bandh. In Odisha, Congress, Left parties and trade unions have supported the strike called by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM).
Holding placards and banners, the agitators staged demonstrations at different places in the capital city Bhubaneswar, besides Cuttack, Balasore, Rourkela, Khurda, Sambalpur, Bolangir and other districts in the State.
Claiming that the Bharat Bandh was successful, State Congress president Niranjan Patnaik said, "Demanding scrapping of three black farm laws, the farmers of the country have called for the Bandh and all opposition parties including Congress have supported it."
Congress demanded the withdrawal of the three farm laws, make provision of MSP in Act and stop selling out of the vital infrastructures and properties of the country, Patnaik said.
"We are observing the bandh demanding the repeal of the three black farm laws," said CPI leader Rama Krushna Panda.
- 27 Sept 2021 2:28 PM IST
Trade unions stage protest at Jantar Mantar in support of farmers' 'Bharat Bandh' call
New Delhi: A section of the trade unions and civil society groups held a protest at Jantar Mantar in solidarity with the "Bharat Bandh" called by farmers against three agriculture laws of the Union government, reports PTI.
Holding banners that read "Long Live Farmers Unity", demanding a repeal of the three farm laws and equal opportunities for all, the protesters held a march at Jantar Mantar.
Organisations including the All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), the All India Kisan Sabha, the Janwadi Mahila Samiti and the United Trade Union Congress (UTUC) participated in the protest and also raised their voice against issues apart from those related to farmers.
- 27 Sept 2021 2:23 PM IST
Bharat Bandh evokes partial response in Northeast
Guwahati/Agartala: The Bharat Bandh called by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha against the three contentious farm laws evoked a partial response in the Northeastern states on Monday, reports IANS.
In Assam, a majority of the offices, both government and private, educational institutions, shops, commercial establishments in many of the 34 districts, including the main commercial hub Guwahati, remained open barring some business establishments.
- 27 Sept 2021 1:10 PM IST
Tamil Nadu: Protesters agitating against the three farm laws break police barricade
Tamil Nadu: Protesters agitating against the three farm laws break police barricade in Anna Salai area of Chennai, in support of Bharat Bandh called by farmer organisations today; protesters detained by police
- 27 Sept 2021 1:00 PM IST
Bharat Bandh will compel Centre to listen to farmers: Rakesh Tikait
New Delhi: Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait, who has been leading the farmers' protest in the outskirts of the national capital for the past 10 months, said that he is certain that Monday's Bharat Bandh will compel the Centre to listen to the voices of farmers, reports IANS
Denying that farmers only from western Uttar Pradesh were participating in the protest, therefore, the farmers' protest will not be an issue in the 2022 Assembly elections, he said, "Farmers from all over India are with us", adding that this movement was not just restricted to any one region.
