Farmers Movement Archive

Farmer's protest: December 8 bandh to be observed all day, road blockades till 3pm

BATHINDA: Farm organisations protesting against central farm laws on Sunday made it clear that the ‘Bharat Bandh’ (nationwide protest) on December 8 will be complete. No supplies of milk and vegetables will be allowed, and business or trade activity, will come to a standstill. However, chakka jams (road blockades) will be in force up to 3pm in the entire country. The path will be provided to ambulances, marriage parties or anyone in dire need during the chakka jam. The farm groups said support for the bandh call was pouring in from various trade organisations belonging to various states from across the country. A large number of farmers and journalists will be observing bandh and protest at Chandigarh, claimed the farmers on Sunday evening. Before the bandh, sportspersons, ex-servicemen, and art and literary personalities are expected to return medals and awards to the government on Monday. Before outlining the details of the call for Bharat Bandh by farm leaders, farm groups had a lengthy meeting on Singhu border where strategy for the bandh call and struggle was discussed. They reiterated that nothing less than repealing of agri laws is acceptable to them and till achieving this the struggle will continue. Farm leaders Baldev Singh Nihalgarh and Jagmohan Singh said a jatha of 250 peopel on motorcycles was coming from Gujarat to support the farm struggle, and trade organisations from Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, MP and other states had also announced to observe the bandh. Agriculture markets in Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan will remain closed as arhtiyas (commission agents) have supported the bandh call. Transporters’ associations and political parties have also promised to observe the bandh, they said. AIKSCC member Yogendra Yadav said the Editors Guild of India had issued an advisory to reporters covering the farm struggle not to brand farmers as Khalistanis or anti-nationals. The guild has asked media to do fair reporting. Congress, Aam Aadmi Party and Shiromani Akali Dal have announced to support the bandh call.

The Times of India

2020-12-07

Amritsar