Bharat Bandh Sends a Clear Message to withdraw ‘Anti-Farmer Acts’: Farmers’ leaders
AMN / WEB DESK
The Bharat Bandh called by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) today good response in different parts of the country. Many states like Punjab, Haryana, West Bengal, Tripura, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Karnataka observed a near-total Bandh situation.
In other states there was good response from people. In the BJP-ruled states of UP, Gujarat and Haryana, hundreds of activists were arrested. In Kerala due to the local body elections the Bandh was not observed but massive demonstrations were organised before Central Government offices and traders downed shutters.
Farmer leaders believed that the massive response to the Bandh is a resolute message to the BJP Government and Prime Minister Modi that the anti-farmer acts have to be withdrawn and the united movement will continue till the demand is accepted.
AIKS thanks the Central Trade Unions, organisations of the working class, agricultural labour, students, youth women, advocates, teachers, traders and the different political parties for the support extended to the Bandh.
All over the country, shops and other establishments closed their shutters. Several transport organisations had stopped their trucks from plying. Innumerable national and state highways were blocked by farmers, as also the railways in some states. Farmers, workers, agricultural labourers, students, youth, women, teachers, advocates, railway workers, also participated in massive numbers in huge demonstrations throughout the country.
The Bharat Bandh showed the great level of anger amongst the people against the repression of the government on farmers and also against the anti-farmer and pro-corporate Farm Acts. It also showed the massive unity of the people transcending religion, caste and language.
Among those who were arrested at Bilaspur near Gurugram were CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP and AIKS Joint Secretary K K Ragesh, AIKS finance secretary P Krishna Prasad, AIDWA general secretary Mariam Dhawale, AIAWU joint secretary Vikram Singh, CITU Haryana State President Surekha, CWFI President Sukhbir Singh Prabhat, and over 250 others. Among those arrested in Gujarat were CITU State president Arun Mehta, AIKS state president Dayabhai Gajera and many others. The AIKS condemns the BJP state governments for these arrests, demands their immediate release and that all cases against them be withdrawn forthwith.
The ongoing farmers’ agitation entered Day-13 on Tuesday with farmer leaders refusing to budge from their demand of complete withdrawal of the three new farm bills promulgated by President Ram Nath Kovind in September. In addition, protesting farmers, mostly from Punjab and Haryana are also demanding written guarantees for procurement of farm produce at Minimum Support Price (MSP).
Elaborate security arrangements were made in all States and Union Territories in the wake of the call. Transport and traffic were also normal in cities like Delhi and Mumbai as police kept a tight vigil.
Normal life remained unaffected in some parts Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu division as shops and commercial establishments remained operational in these states with transport plying normally on the roads.
In Maharashtra, members of a farmers’ organization staged a ‘rail roko’ in Buldhana district as part of the Bharat Bandh. However, Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation buses were plying as scheduled.
In Telangana, trade unions held demonstrations at busy locations in Hyderabad.