Samyukt Kisan Morcha’s (SKM) has called for a Bharat Bandh on Monday in protest against the three farm laws and has garnered support from various groups including political parties.
Besides Congress, AAP, TDP, Left Parties, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Yadav have also announced to participate in the nationwide strike.
Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu governments, have declared complete support to the nationwide strike.
Andhra Pradesh government announced to give full support to the Bharat Bandh on September 27. Also, it has declared to support the strike of workers of Visakhapatnam steel plant, state Information and Transport Minister Perni Venkataramaiah (Nani) said.Minister said, the State Government has decided to stop APSRTC buses across the state from September 26 midnight to September 27 afternoon.
Notably, the government and farmer unions have held 11 rounds of talks so far and the last one was on January 22, to break the deadlock and end the farmers’ protest.
Three laws, to which farmers are opposing are: The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020, were passed by the Parliament in September last year.
Farmer groups have been saying that, the three laws passed by the Parliament, will end the mandi and minimum support price (MSP) procurement systems and farmers have to be at the mercy of big corporates. Government has been rejecting their allegations.
Bharat bandh timings:
The bandh will be held from 6 am to 4 pm on 27th September.
All emergency establishments and essential services, including hospitals, medical stores, relief and rescue work and people attending to personal emergencies will be exempted. The bandh will be enforced in a voluntary and peaceful manner, Samyukt Kisan Morcha’s (SKM) said.
