Farmers Movement Archive

Protesting farmers at Jaisinghpur Khera call for day-long Bharat bandh on Friday

Farmers protesting at Shahjahanpur near Jaisinghpur Khera at the Haryana-Rajasthan border will be observing Bharat bandh on Friday, on the call given by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM). Protesting farmers said that through the 12-hour bandh, they wanted to let the government know that farmers will neither give up nor retreat until the central three farm laws are rolled back. Traffic on the National Highway 48 is likely to be affected due to the blockade that will be in place between 6am till 6pm.Farmers from across the country have been protesting against the three new farm laws that were passed by the centre in September last year. According to the protesting farmers, the new laws might leave them at the mercy of private corporations and end the minimum support price (MSP) for important crops.Sanjay Madhav, a member of the SKM — the umbrella body of farmers’ unions protesting at the national Capital’s borders— and the state convener of the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee in Rajasthan, said that while farmers had earlier called for bandhs for three to six hours, the day-long bandh on Friday is intended to scale up the agitation. “We will be closing the slip road and other key stretches at the protest site. Markets, stations, all public places will remain shut on Friday. We will ensure that there is a complete blockade on NH48 where we are camping, besides other places where farmers are in numbers,” said Madhav. He said that farmers’ groups had plans on escalating the movement in the coming weeks. “The government is under the impression that farmers will retreat if it stops engaging with them. They are underestimating the will of farmers. Farmers from different parts of the country are on the road for over four months now and the government is least concerned. The bandh will make the government realise that it cannot ignore the legitimate demands of farmers,” said Madhav. Naveen Sohlot, a farmer from Bawal, said that protesting farmers will ensure that various public markets at Rewari and Shahjahanpur remain closed as part of the bandh. “We will ensure that Bawal city remains shut on Friday. The Bawal market will not be open for business. Similarly, farmer groups in Shahjahanpur and Rewari will implement similar measures in their areas,” said Sohlot.

Hindustan Times

25-03-2021

Gurugram