Farmers' organisation calls for bharat bandh on September 25

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha on Friday called for a bharat bandh on September 25 to further strengthen and expand the farmers' protest that has been on since November 2020. The Morcha is one of the several farmers' organisations spearheading the protests.

Announcing the bandh, SKM member and convener of the all-India convention by farmers that concluded on Friday, Ashish Mittal said, "This is happening after a similar 'bandh' was organised on the same date last year, and we hope that it would be more successful than the one last year which was held amid the coronavirus pandemic."

Regarding the farmers' convention that concluded on Friday, of which he was convener, Mittal said that it was a success for the presence of representatives from 22 states, 300 farm unions, and members of organisations that work for the welfare of women, labourers, tribals, youth and students.

The meeting focussed on making the nine-month-long protests against the three controversial farm laws passed by the centre a pan-India movement, he said.

"During the convention, it was discussed as to how the government has been pro-corporate and attacking the farming community. Our demands for repeal of all three pro-corporate farm laws, legal guarantee for MSP of all crops, repeal of Electricity Bill, 2021, no prosecution of farmers under the 'Commission of AQ Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas Bill 2021' were reiterated during the convention," Mittal said.

This Thursday marked the completion of nine months of the agitation. Farmers have alleged that the centre's three farm laws are pro-corporate and does away with Minimum Support Price. Despite over ten rounds of talks with the government, the deadlock remains between the two parties.