Farmers Movement Archive

Bharat Bandh: DMRC shuts exit, entry gates for Pandit Ram Sharma Metro station

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on Monday closed the entry and exit gates for Pandit Shree Ram Sharma Metro station in view of the ongoing Bharat Bandh that will continue till 4pm. “Security Update. Entry/exit for Pandit Shree Ram Sharma has been closed,” the DMRC tweeted. This Metro station on the Green Line of the network and is near the Tikri border with Haryana, one of the sites of the ongoing farmers' protests.Meanwhile, the Delhi Traffic Police closed traffic movement towards Ghazipur from Uttar Pradesh keeping in view of the Bharat Bandh. "Traffic movement has been closed from UP towards Ghazipur due to protest," tweeted Delhi Traffic Police.The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), a coalition of farmers' unions, has called a Bharat Bandh to mark the first anniversary of the enactment of the three farm laws. The Farmer's Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020, were passed last year.WATCH: Farmers’ Bharat Bandh begins; roads, rail tracks blocked; Rahul Gandhi extends support The three legislation opened the agriculture sector to the private players of the country, prompting countrywide protests by farmers' unions. The agitators claim that the laws are anti farmers and it would erode a longstanding mechanism that ensures farmers a minimum guaranteed price for their produce. However, the government says this will help growers get better prices.Since the agitation began in November last year, the Union government has had several rounds of discussions with farmers leaders but the impasse continues. Farmers are firm on their demands of complete repeal of laws and say they will not back down until the government agrees. In November, the farmers' agitation will complete one year.The Bharat Bandh garnered support from more than 500 farmer organisations, 15 trade unions, several political parties, six state governments and varied sections of society. State governments of Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Punjab, Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh have extended their support to the Bharat Bandh.

Hindustan Times

27-09-2021

India